ABSTRACT
In the last decade the increasing concern with social factors in psychiatric illness, whether from an aetiological or treatment point of view, has led to recognition of the importance of attitude variables in the treatment of patients and in the selection and training of psychiatric staff. Since publication of the C-Scale (Wilson and Patterson, 1970) there have been several empirical studies on the relationship between conservatism and psychiatric treatment. It is the purpose of this chapter to review these studies, which have particularly concentrated on correlating conservatism with attitudes to treatment, in nurses, psychiatric patients and psychiatrists. After data on these groups have been examined a study relating conservatism to students' reporting of emotional distress will be discussed.
