Delivered by Ingenta to Indiana University Libraries, Bloomington (cid 35010635) IP: 129.79.141.224 Date: 2005..01..26..15..00.. Public Attitudes toward the Use of Psychiatric Medications for Children* JANE D. MCLEOD BERNICE A. PESCOSOLIDO Indiana University, Bloomington DAVID T. TAKEUCHI University of Washington TERRY FALKENBERGWHITE Indiana Consortium for Mental Health Services Research Journal of Health and Social Behavior 2004, Vol 45 (March): 53–67 Psychiatric medication use for children has increased dramatically over the past three decades. Despite substantial media attention to the issue, little is known about how the lay public feels about the use of psychiatric medications for chil- dren. Drawing on theories of medicalization, we describe and analyze Americans’ attitudes towards the use of psychiatric medications generally and Prozac specif- ically for children described as having three types of behavioral problems. Using data from the 1998 General Social Survey’s Pressing Issues in Health and Medical Care Module, we find that more Americans (57%) are willing to use psychiatric medications for children who have expressed suicidal statements than for “oppo- sitional” behaviors (34.2%) or for hyperactivity (29.5%). Across the board, respondents are less willing to give Prozac than the general class of psychiatric medications. While socio-demographics do little to identify Americans with dif- fering positions, the strongest and most consistent correlates of willingness to give psychiatric medications to children are trust in personal physicians, general atti- tudes towards psychiatric medications, and the respondent’s expressed willing- ness to take psychiatric medications herself or himself. 53 “Are we now giving youngsters Prozac when they have a bad hair day or using Ritalin as a new solution for poor classroom etiquette?” —Dr. Barbara Korsch, quoted in Marsa, Los Angeles Times (April 3, 2000) “To trivialize psychiatric illness, however, or the suffering it inflicts, perpetuates the stigma felt by parents and children who seek expert treatment, or who have benefit- ed from expert treatment.” —Dr. Mark Riddle, Baltimore Sun (March 15, 2000) “This is an age that tries to medicalize every difficulty or deficit .” —George Will, Washington Post (December 2, 1999) #1433—Jnl of Health and Social Behavior—Vol. 45 No. 1—45104-mcleod * The General Social Survey is funded by the National Science Foundation. Supplemental fund- ing for the Pressing Issues in Health Care module was provided by Eli Lilly and Company and by the Indiana Consortium for Mental Health Services Research. IRB approval for the entire General Social Survey is held at the University of Chicago (#93216).IRB approval for secondary data analysis of the General Social Survey was given at Indiana University (#00-3674). The authors thank the reviewers and the editor for their constructive com- ments. Please direct all correspondence to Jane D. McLeod, Department of Sociology, Indiana Uni- versity, Ballantine Hall 744, 1020 E. Kirkwood, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 or jmcleod@ indiana.edu.