Ethnic and racial differences in decision-making by healthcare professionals for individuals with mental health conditions. What does experimental research tell us?

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Abbey, Anita, Bealey, Rebecca and Beazley, Peter (2026) Ethnic and racial differences in decision-making by healthcare professionals for individuals with mental health conditions. What does experimental research tell us? Advances in Mental Health. ISSN 1838-7357

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Abstract

Objective: We sought to understand how manipulations of ethnicity or race in experimental research might lead healthcare professionals to make different decisions or judgements about people with mental health conditions. Method: We systematically reviewed experimental studies where ethnicity or race was manipulated in a vignette depicting an individual with a mental health condition, and where healthcare professionals had made a clinical decision or judgement about the vignette. Thirty-one studies were included and narratively synthesised. Results: Overall, the evidence for an impact of vignette ethnicity or race was mixed. Around half of the studies showed no between-group differences. Of the others, there was limited evidence suggesting that, compared to people depicted as having an ethnic minority status, people depicted as of ‘white’ or ‘European’ ethnicity were somewhat more likely to receive diagnoses of schizophrenia or personality disorder, be prescribed medication, and have their symptoms considered as more serious. There was stronger evidence for a lack of difference by vignette ethnicity in depression diagnoses, but more consistent differences in relation to judgements made in the context of psychological therapies. Discussion: There is an urgent need for research of a higher methodological quality. A research priority is better understanding of biases in relation to judgements aboout psychological therapies.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: racial disparities,ethnicity,bias,clinical decision-making,mental health conditions,experimental,psychiatry and mental health,health policy,clinical psychology,experimental and cognitive psychology,sdg 3 - good health and well-being,sdg 10 - reduced inequalities ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2700/2738
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Mental Health and Social Care (fka Lifespan Health)
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Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 01 May 2026 09:57
Last Modified: 03 Jun 2026 14:37
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/102869
DOI: 10.1080/18387357.2026.2667850

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