Providers’ Implicit and Explicit Stereotypes About Mental Illnesses and Clinical Competencies in Recovery

Abstract

We examined community providers’ stereotypes about mental illnesses and their association with clinical competencies among mental health professionals in Washington State’s community mental health system (N = 584). Mental Health Competence and Recovery Implicit Association Tests were developed. The Competency Assessment Instrument (CAI) measured provider competencies in rehabilitation. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine the associations between stereotypes and clinical competencies. On average, providers did not differentially associate the concepts of competence or recovery with physical illnesses versus mental illnesses. However, providers that implicitly associated recovery more with physical illnesses had lower clinical competency scores (p = .03). Explicit stereotypes were associated with lower competency scores. Providers’ stereotypes about mental illnesses are predictors of clinical competencies.

KEYWORDS:

• implicit stereotypes about mental illnesses
• clinical competencies
• recovery
• community mental health