Person-First, Recovery-Oriented Language and Public Attitudes Towards People in Forensic Mental Health Services

Abstract

This original study investigated the impact of language on stigmatizing attitudes towards people in forensic mental health services. We recruited a nationally representative UK adult general population sample (N = 668) and used a randomized online survey design with three experimental conditions. We explored the associations between different terms—“mentally disordered offender”, “forensic mental health patient”, and “person working towards recovery using forensic mental health services”—and attitudes related to social distance, perceptions of community risk, stereotypes, compassion, and diminished responsibility. Our results showed that person-first, recovery-oriented language was associated with reduced desire for social distance and increased perceptions of responsibility for behavior. These findings make a significant contribution to knowledge, adding new data to demonstrate that person-first, recovery-oriented language is linked to attitudes toward stigmatized groups. This research supports the Lancet Commission's call for the use of person-first language. Further, our findings provide a valuable guide, shaping the direction of future research relating to the effects of language on stigma, real-world behaviors, and interventions designed to reduce stigma towards people in forensic mental health systems.