Internalized stigma of mental illness in Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Purpose: There are an increasing number of studies on the subjective experience of stigma amongst mentally ill persons but still few coming from low- and middle-income countries, and very few from Muslim countries. The objective of this study was to look into the experience of internalized stigma in mentally ill persons in Tehran, Iran. Methods: A total of 138 patients with an affective disorder or schizophrenia from three psychiatric institutions in Tehran responded to the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale. This is a 29-item self-report questionnaire with good psychometric properties. An open-ended question about personal experiences of discrimination was included at the end of the questionnaire. Results: The experience of stigma because of mental illnesses was high in this Iranian sample. The level of stigma was similar to studies from Europe that used the same questionnaire. Conclusion: This is the first study of self-perceived stigma in mentally ill persons in Iran. Stigma is a reality even in an Islamic setting in spite of the teachings of the Koran and a rather w ell-developed mental health service. Implications: These results call for actions to reduce the experience of stigma in mentally ill persons in Iran.