GSS 1972-2024 Cumulative Datafile - Release 3

Do you think of yourself as a trusting person?  Are you...

Have you or has anyone else you know ever seen a psychiatrist, 
psychologist, or counselor?

Please tell me how much you agree or disagree with the following 
statements about medicines prescribed by doctors to help people who 
are having problems with their emotions, nerves or their mental 
health: 
A. Psychiatric medicine is harmful to the body.

Please tell me how much you agree or disagree with the following 
statements about medicines prescribed by doctors to help people who 
are having problems with their emotions, nerves or their mental 
health: 
B. If symptoms are no longer present, people should stop taking these 
medications.

Please tell me how much you agree or disagree with the following 
statements about medicines prescribed by doctors to help people who 
are having problems with their emotions, nerves or their mental 
health: 
C. Taking these medications interferes with daily activities.

Please tell me how much you agree or disagree with the following 
statements about medicines prescribed by doctors to help people who 
are having problems with their emotions, nerves or their mental 
health: 
D. Taking these medications helps people deal with day-to-day 
stresses.

Please tell me how much you agree or disagree with the following 
statements about medicines prescribed by doctors to help people who 
are having problems with their emotions, nerves or their mental 
health: 
E. Taking these medications makes things easier in relations with 
family and friends.

Please tell me how much you agree or disagree with the following 
statements about medicines prescribed by doctors to help people who 
are having problems with their emotions, nerves or their mental 
health: 
F. These medications help people control their symptoms.

Please tell me how much you agree or disagree with the following 
statements about medicines prescribed by doctors to help people who 
are having problems with their emotions, nerves or their mental 
health: 
G. Taking medication helps people feel better about themselves.

How likely would you be to take doctor-prescribed psychiatric 
medication in the following situations? 
A. ...because you were having trouble in your personal life.

How likely would you be to take doctor-prescribed psychiatric 
medication in the following situations? 
B. ...because you didn''t know how to cope anymore with the stresses 
of life.

How likely would you be to take doctor-prescribed psychiatric 
medication in the following situations? 
C. ...because you were feeling depressed, tired, were having trouble 
sleeping and concentrating, and felt worthless.

How likely would you be to take doctor-prescribed psychiatric 
medication in the following situations? 
D. ...for no apparent reason, you were having periods of intense fear 
in which you were trembling, sweating, feeling dizzy, and feared 
losing control or going crazy.

How likely would you be to give doctor-prescribed psychiatric 
medication to your child or a child you were responsible for in the 
following situations (A child would be considered anyone between the 
ages of 8 and 15). 
A....because s/he is hostile, often loses his/her temper, often 
argues with adults, actively defies authority and seems spiteful or 
vindictive.

How likely would you be to give doctor-prescribed psychiatric 
medication to your child or a child you were responsible for in the 
following situations (A child would be considered anyone between the 
ages of 8 and 15). 
B...because s/he is not paying attention at school, does not follow 
through with school work and chores, has difficulty organizing 
activities, is easily distracted, talks excessively, and seems to run 
around or fidget constantly.

How likely would you be to give doctor-prescribed psychiatric 
medication to your child or a child you were responsible for in the 
following situations (A child would be considered anyone between the 
ages of 8 and 15). 
C....because s/he was talking about killing him or herself.

If you were to seek services for a problem with your emotions, 
nerves, or your mental health, how much would you agree or disagree 
with the following options? 
A. I would prefer to go directly to a mental health care specialist, 
rather than being referred by my primary care physician.

If you were to seek services for a problem with your emotions, 
nerves, or your mental health, how much would you agree or disagree 
with the following options? 
B. I would trust my family physician to prescribe psychiatric 
medication.

If you were to seek services for a problem with your emotions, 
nerves, or your mental health, how much would you agree or disagree 
with the following options? 
C. I would only trust a psychiatrist to prescribe psychiatric 
medication.

First, are you, yourself, covered by health insurance, a government 
plan like Medicare or Medicaid, or some other plan that pays for your 
medical care?

There are many different types of health care plans. I''d like to 
know which type of plan is most like yours. Please tell me if your 
plan has any of these features: 
A. Is there a book, directory or list of doctors whom you must use?

There are many different types of health care plans. I''d like to 
know which type of plan is most like yours. Please tell me if your 
plan has any of these features: 
B. Can you choose any doctor you like in your community or elsewhere, 
perhaps paying part of the bill?

Have you ever switched your plan or the medical care provider within 
your plan due to dissatisfaction with a prior plan?

Since you joined this plan, have you sought medical care for problems 
with your emotions, nerves, or mental health?

Were you able to get the treatment you sought?

How difficult was it to get the treatment that you sought: very 
difficult, somewhat difficult, or not at all difficult?

Were you denied services under your plan's benefit package?

The health care system is changing rapidly with more and more people 
being treated in Health Maintenance organizations (or HMOs) and in 
managed care plans. How much do you agree or disagree with how the 
HMOs and managed care plans are working? 
A. They improve the quality of care.