Internalized Stigma and Perceived Family Support in Acute Psychiatric In-Patient Units

Abstract

AimThis descriptive study aims to identify the relationship between internalized stigma and perceived family support in patients hospitalized in an acute psychiatric unit. MethodThe sample is composed of 224 patients treated in an acute inpatient psychiatric ward in İstanbul, Turkey. The data were collected using information obtained from the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale and Social Support from Family Scale. ResultsThe mean age of the patients was 37±11.56years, and the mean duration of treatment was 6.27±5.81years. Most patients had been hospitalized three or more times. Of the total number of patients, 66.1% had been taken to the hospital by family members. We noted a statistically significant negative correlation between the total scores obtained from the perceived Social Support from Family Scale and the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale. ConclusionThe patients were observed to stigmatize themselves more when the perceived social support from their family had decreased.