Stigma Attribution Questionnaire-27

Please read the following statement about Harry.

Harry is a 30-year-old single man with schizophrenia. Sometimes he hears voices

and becomes upset. He lives alone in an apartment and works as a clerk at a large
law firm. He had been hospitalized six times because of his illness.

Now answer each of the following questions about Harry. Circle the number of
the best answer to each question.

1. I would feel aggravated by Harry.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all very much

2. I would feel unsafe around Harry.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
no, not at all yes, very much

3. Harry would terrify me.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all very much

4. How angry would you feel at Harry?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all very much

5. If I were in charge of Harry’s treatment, I would require him to take

his medication.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all very much

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6. I think Harry poses a risk to his neighbors unless he is hospitalized.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
none at all very much

7. If I were an employer, I would interview Harry for a job.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not likely very likely

8. I would be willing to talk to Harry about his problems.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all very much

9. I would feel pity for Harry.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
none at all very much

10. I would think that it was Harry’s own fault that he is in the present condition.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
no, not at all yes, absolutely so

11. How controllable, do you think, is the cause of Harry’s present condition?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all under completely under
personal control personal control

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12. How irritated would you feel by Harry?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all very much

13. How dangerous would you feel Harry is?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all very much

14. How much do you agree that Harry should be forced into treatment with his
doctor even if he does not want to?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all very much

15. I think it would be best for Harry’s community of he were put away in a
psychiatric hospital.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all very much

16. I would share a car pool with Harry every day.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

not likely very much likely

17. How much do you think an asylum, where Harry can be kept away from his
neighbors, is the best place for him?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all very much

18. I would feel threatened by Harry.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
no, not at all yes, very much
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 19. How scared of Harry would you feel?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all very much

20. How likely is it that you would help Harry?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
definitely definitely
would not help would help

21. How certain would you feel that you would help Harry?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all certain absolutely certain

22. How much sympathy would you feel for Harry?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
none at all very much

23. How responsible, do you think, is Harry for his present condition?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all very much
responsible responsible

24. How frightened of Harry would you feel?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all very much

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 25. If I were in charge of Harry’s treatment, I would force him to live in a group
home.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not at all very much

26. If I were a landlord, I probably would rent an apartment to Harry.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
not likely very likely

27. How much concern would you feel for Harry?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
none at all very much

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Scoring the AQ-27

The AQ consists of 9 factors, which are scored by summing the items as outlined below:

Responsibility = AQ10+ AQ11 +AQ23

Pity = AQ9 + AQ22 + AQ27
Anger = AQ1 + AQ4 + AQ12
Dangerousness = AQ2 + AQ13 + AQ18
Fear = AQ3 + AQ19 + AQ24
Help = AQ8 + AQ20 + AQ21
Coercion = AQ5 + AQ14 + AQ25
Segregation = AQ6 + AQ15 + AQ17
Avoidance = AQ7 + AQ16 + AQ26

The higher the score, the more that factor is endorsed by the subject. Note the
reversals in scoring items AQ7, AQ16, and AQ26.

Assessment by
Patrick W. Corrigan, Psy.D. University of Chicago Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation 7230 Arbor
Drive. Tinley Park, IL 60447 www.StigmaResearch.org

Corrigan, P.W., Markowitz, F.E., Watson, A.C., Rowan, D., & Kubiak, M.A. (2003). Attribution and
Dangerousness Models of Public Discrimination Towards People With Mental Illness. Journal of
Health and Social Behavior,44, 162-179.

Corrigan, PW, Watson, AC, Gracia, G. & Warpinski, AC (2003) Ethnic Differences in Stigmatizing
Attitudes about Mental Illness. Manuscript submitted to Journal of Social and Clinical
Psychology.

Corrigan, PW, Watson, AC, Warpinski, AC & Gracia, G. (2003). Stigmatizing Attitudes about
Mental Illness and Allocation of Resources to Mental Health Services. Manuscript submitted to
Community Mental Health Journal.

Corrigan, PW, Watson, AC, Warpinski, AC & Gracia, G. (2003) Mental Illness, Violence, and
Stigma: Implications for Educating the Public. Manuscript submitted to Psychiatric Services.

This research was supported by a research infrastructure support program grant from the
National Institute of Mental Health (5 R24 MH62198) to Patrick Corrigan.
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Attribution Questionnaire Vignettes

Condition #1- no danger. Harry is a 30 year old single man with schizophrenia. Although
he sometimes hears voices and becomes upset, Harry has never been violent. Like
most people with schizophrenia, Harry is no more dangerous than the average person.
He lives in an apartment and works as a clerk in a large law firm. His symptoms are
usually well managed with the appropriate medication.

Condition #2-danger. Harry is a 30 year old single man with schizophrenia. The last
time his symptoms got worse, he heard voices and believed his neighbors were
planning to hurt him. He attacked his landlady in the belief that she was in on a plot.
When the police escorted him to the hospital, he tried to grab for the officer’s gun. He
attacked an orderly in the emerge ncy room and had to be put into restraints. He only
quieted down after he was given large doses of medication.

Condition #3-danger without controllability of cause. Harry is a 30 year old single man
with schizophrenia. The last time his symptoms got worse, he heard voices and believed
his neighbors were planning to hurt him. He attacked his landlady in the belief that she
was in on a plot. When the police escorted him to the hospital, he tried to grab for the
officer’s gun. He attacked an orderly in the emergency room and had to be put into
restraints. Harry’s mental illness was originally caused by a severe head injury suffered
during a car accident when he was 22. The mental illness leads to violence whenever he
suffers from migraines also caused by the accident.

Condition #4-danger with controllability of cause. Harry is a 30 year old single man with
schizophrenia. The last time his symptoms got worse, he heard voices and believed his
neighbors were planning to hurt him. He attacked his landlady in the belief that she was
in on a plot. When the police escorted him to the hospital, he tried to grab for the
officer’s gun. He attacked an orderly in the emergency room and had to be put into
restraints. Harry’s mental illness was originally caused by eight years of abusing illegal
drugs. The mental illness leads to violence whenever he snorts cocaine.