How Far Apart Are Depression and Schizophrenia? An Intergroup Relationship Independent of Perceived Risk and the Typicality of Each Disorder / ¿Qué distancia hay entre la depresión y la esquizofrenia? Una relación intergrupal independiente del riesgo

Mental illness (MI) is often associated with negative stereotypes that shape intergroup relations. This study examines two key intergroup features—perceived social distance and perceived boundary permeability—between mental health (MH), depression, and schizophrenia, and tests whether these perceptions are influenced by perceived susceptibility to and typicality of each disorder. Across two studies, psychology undergraduates evaluated perceived social distance and frontiers permeability between MH and two mental disorders (depression or schizophrenia). Perceived susceptibility to developing a mental disorder was assessed in both studies, and perceived typicality was additionally measured in Study 2. Depression was perceived as less distant and as having more permeable frontiers from MH than schizophrenia. These differences were largely independent of perceived susceptibility and typicality of the disorder. These findings provide novel insights into how individuals cognitively structure intergroup frontiers related to MI, which may inform efforts to reduce stigma and promote social inclusion.