Best to avoid the term "the mentally ill".

• Position: Person-First Language

Even subtle differences in how you refer to people with mental illness can affect levels of tolerance, shows a study at Ohio State University, Columbus. Researchers found that participants displayed less tolerance toward people who were referred to as "the mentally ill" when compared to those referred to as "people with mental illness." For instance, participants were more likely to agree with the statement "the mentally ill should be isolated from the community" than the almost identical statement "people with mental illnesses should be isolated from the community."

These results were found among college students and adults--and even professional counselors who took part in the study. The findings suggest that language choice should not be viewed just as an issue of "political correctness," says study coauthor Darcy Granello, professor of educational studies. 'This isn't just about saying the right thing for appearances. The language we use has real effects on our levels of tolerance for people with mental illness."

The push to change how society refers to people with mental illness began in the 1990s when several professional publications proposed the use of what they called "person-first" language when talking about people with disabilities or chronic conditions. "Person-first language is a way to honor the personhood of an individual by separating his or her identity from any disability or diagnosis he or she might have," explains Todd Gibbs, a graduate student in...