Social functionality and internalized stigmatization levels of forensic psychiatry patients

Abstract

Objective: The aim was to determine the internalized stigma and social functioning levels of the individuals who committed crime and had mental disorder and were treated in forensic psychiatry units of Mental Health and Illnesses Hospitals.Method: This cross-sectional research was carried out between the dates of January and April 2013. It was planned to carry out the research in five hospitals having Forensic Psychiatry Unit in Turkey, but because of two hospital administrations’ disapproval, it was carried out in 3 hospitals. Of the patients treated in those three hospitals (N=109), totally 87 patients participated our research except the patients who had psychiatric symptoms at a level that they couldn’t participate (n=22). Data were collected by talking to the patients face to face. In the research, “Descriptive Information Form”, “Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI)” and “Social Functioning Scale (SFS)” were used. In data evaluation, number-percentage distribution was done and the relationship between the variables was examined by t-test, variance analysis and correlation analysis.Findings: 94.3% of the patients were men and their average of age was 37.78±11.12. Patients ISMI and subscale average points were respectively found as xself-stigma= 44.43±12.80 (max:91); Xalienation=14.33±3.58(max:24); Xapprovingliteraljudgements=16.90±3.85(max:28); xperceiveddiscrimination=12.11±2.89(max:24); xsocialwithdrawal=14.34±3.61(max:24) and Xresistagainststigma=13.26±2.03(max:20). SFS subscale average points was found as Xwithdrawal=10.44±2.48; Xinterpersonalcommunication=4.87±2.28; Xindependenceperformance=12.25±6.98; Xindependencecompetence=31.54±8.36; Xhobbies=8.54±4.73; Xinitialsocialactivity=8.23±7.31 and Xjob=4.16±2.60. It was determined that the more self-stigma scale average points increased, the more social functioning average points decreased (P