ABSTRACT
In 1981 two landmark studies based upon two cross-sectional sur veys of representative samples of the American adult population, one in 1957 and another in 1976, were published. The primary topics of these surveys by Joseph Veroff and colleagues were (1) mental health symptom measures and their sociodemographic correlates, and (2) at titudes and past actions with respect to mental health treatment. Al though different individuals were included in the 1957 and 1976 samples, the researchers were able to infer shifts in national attitudes and behaviors with respect to mental health treatment, as well as shifts in the distribution and sociodemographic correlates of various mental health symptom measures.
