More than words: Lay perceptions of mental health terminology across context and severity.

Abstract

Mental health terminology has evolved and proliferated, yet it remains unclear how laypeople-particularly young adults-perceive and understand common terms. This has far-reaching implications, for instance, on normalization of mental health experiences, stigma, help-seeking behavior, and clinician-patient communication. The present study included 693 young adults (M = 21 years old) in Southern California who completed an online survey about five mental health terms: (a) mental illness, (b) mental disorder, (c) mental health concern, (d) psychological issue, and (e) psychological distress. Participants completed a variety of complementary questions, including assigning study terms to 57 mental health experiences, symptoms, and disorders; responding to evaluative questions (e.g., how stigmatizing the term was); and providing open-ended feedback regarding term rejection. "Mental health concern" was the most broadly applied and least rejected term. Conversely, "mental illness" and "mental disorder" were reserved for clinical conditions and viewed as more stigmatizing, severe, and in need of treatment. Qualitatively, "mental illness" was twice as likely to be rejected than "mental disorder." Gender and personal/family history of a mental disorder moderated evaluative judgments. The findings suggest that mental health terms are not interchangeable and instead represent a continuum of perceived severity, clinical weight, and social acceptability. The study revealed important nuances (e.g., between "mental illness" and "mental disorder") that have implications for scientific communication, clinical practice, and public understanding of mental health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).