Influence of social workers' characteristics on the perception of mental disorder in youths

Modern versions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual are meant to reduce biases in judgment. This vignette-based study of 250 student respondents in master of social work programs assesses the influence of their social characteristics on judgments of mental disorder among youths. Most respondents appropriately use contextual information to judge mental disorder. Minorities and women are less likely than nonminorities and men to judge that disorder is present, suggesting that they may be more sensitive than others to the consequences of labeling youths as having mental disorders. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual training removes differences between racial and ethnic groups.