Abstract
Stigma toward those with mental illness and disabilities remains a significant issue internationally. Those with mental illness can be particularly susceptible to stigma, given its compounding impact on one's quality of life and help-seeking behaviors. We therefore sought to compare stigma toward those with a mental illness and those with a disability. We drew upon a nationally representative survey, which asked participants about their comfortability of having a new neighbor with a mental illness or a disability. Through linear mixed-effects models, we explored the relationship between various demographic variables (e.g., age, biological sex, education, and socioeconomic status) and stigma toward each group. The results revealed that stigma toward those with mental illness was significantly greater than stigma toward those with a disability. We also noted that stigma toward both groups was higher among Asian, Pacific, and older participants but lower among those with higher education. Overall, our study prompts further insight into the stigma process and differences between stigmatized groups. In addition, it is likely that bespoke interventions will be required that consider the underlying motivators toward mental illness stigmatization.