Stigma Of Illness Research Articles

Review of Nobody's Normal: How Culture Created the Stigma of Mental Illness. Roy RichardGrinker. 2021. W.W. Norton and Company. New York. Pp. 409

Review of Nobody's Normal: How Culture Created the Stigma of Mental Illness. Roy RichardGrinker. 2021. W.W. Norton and Company. New York. Pp. 409

Photovoice as a Method to Reduce the Stigma of Mental Illness Among Health Care Students.

Photovoice is theorized to influence those who interact with the photos and captions, and so it is important to examine and further understand this mechanism. This article seeks to further our understanding of this critical process—that is, what is the impact of the Photovoice Artist’s stories on the viewing audience? Herein we demonstrate how an incarnation of photovoice, digital storytelling, and photo elicitation impacted mental illness stigma among health sciences students. By focusing on application beyond the original exhibition, this article highlights how photovoice methods and aims overlap with best practices in stigma reduction, and its fit with multimodal anti-stigma interventions. Overall, this study contributes to addressing the question of how photovoice can be applied to achieve action for social change.

Public Stigma and Personal Networks: Confronting the Limitations of Unidimensional Measures of Social Contact.

One of the most promising directions for reducing mental illness stigma lies in Allport's contact theory, which suggests that intergroup interactions reduce stigma. Here, we argue that stigmatizing attitudes are driven by the nature, magnitude, and valence of community-based ties to people with mental illness (PMI), not simply their presence. Using the 2018 General Social Survey (N = 1,113), we compare network-based measures of contact to traditional survey indicators. We find that knowing someone with mental illness, or even number of people known, explains little about desire for social distance, perceptions of dangerousness, or endorsement of treatment coercion. However, having stronger relationships with more PMI, having more friends and family (but not more peripheral ties) with mental illness, and knowing people in treatment are associated with less stigma endorsement. In contrast, we find that exposure to PMI who are perceived as dangerous is associated with greater levels of stigma.

Depression and Anxiety, Stigma, and Social Support Among Women in the Postpartum Period

ObjectiveTo examine the relationships among depression and anxiety symptomatology, stigma of mental illness, levels of social support, and select demographics among hospitalized women in the postpartum period. DesignDescriptive, cross-sectional, correlational. SettingA convenience sample of 105 English-speaking and Spanish-speaking women was recruited and enrolled from a 208-bed free-standing Southern California women’s community hospital postpartum unit serving a diverse community. MeasurementsData were collected on potential covariates including participants’ characteristics, depression and anxiety symptomatology, social support, and stigma. ResultsSixteen participants were classified as high risk for depression or anxiety based on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7. Anxiety was significantly associated with all stigma subscales; the strongest association was with Internal Stigma (r = .46, p < .001, moderate effect), followed by Disclosure Stigma (r = .36, p < .001, moderate effect) and External Stigma (r = .30, p = .002, moderate effect). All social support subscales were negatively associated with depression and anxiety; the Friends subscale had the strongest correlations with depression (r = –.27, p = .006, small effect) and anxiety (r = .34, p = .001, moderate effect). Firth (penalized likelihood) logistic regression analysis was conducted to ascertain the effects of study covariates on the likelihood of participants being at risk for postnatal depression or anxiety. The significant factor that increased the odds of participants being in the high-risk group was decreased social support (adjusted OR = 0.46, 95% CI [0.24, 0.76], p = .003). ConclusionThese results show the enduring prevalence of postnatal depression and anxiety and the relevance of stigma and social support in aggravating or mitigating symptomatology. There is a need for comprehensive standardized screening to ensure the identification of and referral to treatment for women at risk.

Measurement Invariance of the Self-Stigma of Mental Illness Scale: A Cross-Cultural Study.

The current study assessed the measurement invariance of the Self-stigma of Mental Illness scale (SSOMI) across Chinese and US samples and assessed whether the SSOMI differentially relates to distress levels across Chinese and US participants. We included 487 participants in China and 550 in the US (mean age was 19.52 in China and 19.29 in the US). The results indicated that partial measurement invariance of the SSOMI scale across China and the United States participants was established. Furthermore, we observed validity evidence for the SSOMI scale through its correlations with a well-established self-stigma measure and measures of depression, anxiety, and stress. Finally, we found that the SSOMI scale is more strongly linked to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in China than it is in the United States, supporting previous research. These findings enable researchers to utilize the scale cross-culturally (i.e., with participants of Chinese and US origin), and to develop and implement interventions targeting mental illness stigma in both China and the United States.

A Retrospective Observational Study of Psychosocial Determinants and Psychiatric Diagnoses of Mass Shooters in the United States.

Our aim was to better understand the underlying psychiatric, psychosocial, and psychodynamic aspects of mass shootings in the United States (US). The Mother Jones database of 115 mass shootings from 1982-2019 was used to study retrospectively 55 shooters in the US. After developing a psychiatric-assessment questionnaire, psychiatric researchers gathered multiple psychosocial factors and determined diagnoses and treatment by evaluating the clinical evidence obtained by interviewing forensic psychiatrists, who had assessed the assailant, and/or by reviewing psychiatric evaluations conducted during the judicial proceedings. All 35 surviving-assailant cases were selected. Additionally, 20 cases where the assailant died at the time of the shootings were randomly selected from the remaining 80 cases. The majority of assailants (87.5%) had misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated or undiagnosed and untreated psychiatric illness. Most of the assailants also experienced profound estrangement not only from families, friends, and classmates but most importantly from themselves. Being marginalized and interpersonally shunned rendered them more vulnerable to their untreated psychiatric illness and to radicalization online, which fostered their violence. While there are complex reasons that a person is misdiagnosed or not diagnosed, there remains a vital need to decrease the stigma of mental illness to enable those with severe psychiatric illness to be more respected, less marginalized, and encouraged to receive effective psychotherapeutic and pharmacologic treatments.

Perceived mental illness stigma among family and friends of young people with depression and its role in help-seeking: a qualitative inquiry

BackgroundDepressive disorders are a serious public health concern. Left untreated, further clinical distress and impairment in important life domains may arise. Yet, the treatment gap remains large. Prior research has shown that individuals with depressive disorders prefer seeking help from informal sources such as family and friends ahead of formal sources. However, this preference has its disadvantages such as experiencing actual, perceived and internalized stigmatizing responses from them which may delay or deter help-seeking. This paper aimed to determine the role of perceived stigma among family and friends in an individual’s help-seeking behavior.MethodsData were collected using semi-structured interviews with patients with depressive disorders from a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Singapore to capture individuals’ self-reported experience with depression and stigmatization among family and friends. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data of 33 young adults (mean age = 26 years, SD =4.6; 18 female, 15 male) were analyzed using thematic analysis.ResultsIn all, four broad themes were developed: (1) absence of support, (2) provision of unhelpful support, (3) preference for non-disclosure, and (4) opposition towards formal help-seeking. Lack of awareness of depression and perpetuation of stigma manifests as barriers towards help-seeking in the form of absence of support and provision of unhelpful support which subsequently leads to a preference for non-disclosure, as well as opposition by family and friends towards formal help-seeking.ConclusionsData from this study can contribute to the development of public health programs aimed at improving awareness and support from family and friends and facilitating earlier help-seeking among young people with depressive disorders.

INTERNALIZED STIGMA AND STIGMATIZING CULTURAL BELIEFS ON PARENTING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AMONG FEMALE PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA: A COMPARISON OF FEMALE PARENT VERSUS NON PARENT

Purpose: Differences in cultural values, norms and conceptualization of mental illness may influence mental illness stigma differently across the globe. Both public and self stigma have widely been researched globally however, little is known about the specific experiences of stigma that females, and in particular mothers, with schizophrenia encounter as parents in Nigeria. The study aims to explore and compare internalized stigma among female parents and female non-parents. The secondary aim is to explore if any association exist between cultural beliefs on parenting with mental illness and internalized stigma among female patients with schizophrenia.&#x0D; Methodology: 142 female patients with schizophrenia attending the GOPD clinic at FNPH Maiduguri recruited through convenience sampling completed the study. They completed a socio-demographic questionnaire and a modified version of the Internalized stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI). Analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Differences in self stigma were compared using chi-square for categorical variables and student t- test for continuous variables. P-value was set at 0.05. &#x0D; Findings: A total of 65 (75.6%) female parents and 32 (57.1%) of female non parents with schizophrenia had high self stigma. Female parents had a statically significant higher level of self stigma on the alienation subscale as well as the total score. Myths and misconceptions about parenting with mental illness were rampant.&#x0D; Conclusion: Self stigma is more prevalent among female parents with schizophrenia, with cultural beliefs and practices playing an important role in influencing stigma of mental illness. Further research of the impact of cultural factors on stigma of mental illness and culture specific interventions should be explored to reduce self stigma among parents with mental illness.

Stigma matters: An African American psychology professor comes out of the mental illness closet.

The debilitating stigma of mental illness is present in psychologists, psychology departments, and in the larger higher education environment. My reflections on my experience as an African American psychology professor living with bipolar disorder can shed light on how stigma can prevent colleagues from intervening and providing much-needed support to a colleague in crisis. I summarize the history of my struggle with mental illness and with the decision to write about it. I emphasize the importance of vigilance with respect to the fact that changes in medication can rapidly and radically impact one's mood and behavior. My insights as a prosumer can inform administrators, staff, and faculty as they develop policies and practices to assist employees with mental health concerns, which should include providing trusted colleagues with permission to contact a spouse, friend, therapist, and/or family member in the event of a change in behavior. The aim is reduced stigma, greater authenticity on the part of the person living with mental illness, and early intervention, similar to the response one would expect to a heart attack, to interrupt or prevent a prolonged episode of psychological distress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Honest, open, proud—college: Follow-up effects of a peer-led group for reducing the stigma of mental illness.

Honest, open, proud—college: Follow-up effects of a peer-led group for reducing the stigma of mental illness.

“Myths and facts” campaigns are at best ineffective and may increase mental illness stigma.

“Myths and facts” campaigns are at best ineffective and may increase mental illness stigma.

Strategies to Reduce Mental Illness Stigma: Perspectives of People with Lived Experience and Caregivers.

Background: Reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness is a global public health priority. Traditionally, anti-stigma campaigns were led by mental health professionals/organisations and had an emphasis on increasing mental health literacy. More recently, it has been argued that people with lived experience have much to contribute in terms of extending and strengthening these efforts. The purpose of this paper was to elicit views and suggestions from people with lived experience (PWLE) as well as from informal caregivers of people with mental health conditions, on effective strategies to combat the stigma surrounding mental illness. Methods: Six focus group discussions (FGDs) were carried out with PWLE recruited at outpatient services at the Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, and five FGDs were carried out with informal caregivers who responded to advertisements for the study between March and November 2018. In all, the sample comprised 42 PWLE and 31 caregivers. All the FGDs were transcribed verbatim and were analysed using thematic analysis. A pragmatic approach was adopted for the study, and the researchers did not assume any particular philosophical orientation. Results: Four overarching themes depicting strategies to combat stigma were identified through thematic analysis. They were (1) raising mental health awareness, (2) social contact, (3) advocacy by influential figures or groups, and (4) the legislation of anti-discriminatory laws. Conclusions: These strategies were in line with approaches that have been used internationally to disrupt the process of stigma. Our study has further identified nuanced details on how these strategies can be carried out as well as possible areas of priority in the Singapore landscape.

Supplemental Material for Cultivating Contact: How Social Norms Can Reduce Mental Illness Stigma in College Populations

Supplemental Material for Cultivating Contact: How Social Norms Can Reduce Mental Illness Stigma in College Populations

Seeking treatment for mental illness and substance abuse: A cross-sectional study on attitudes, beliefs, and needs of military personnel with and without mental illness

BackgroundOften, military personnel do not seek treatment for mental illness or wait until they reach a crisis point. Effective, selective, and indicated prevention is best achieved by seeking treatment early. AimsWe aimed to examine military personnel's attitudes, beliefs, and needs around seeking treatment for mental illness. We compared those who sought treatment to those who did not and those with and without the intention to seek treatment. Finally, we examined factors associated with intentions of not seeking treatment. MethodWe conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire study of military personnel with (N = 324) and without (N = 554) mental illness. Descriptive and regression analyses (logistic and ordinal) were performed. ResultsThe majority of the personnel believed treatment was effective (91.6%); however, most preferred to solve their own problems (66.0%). For personnel with mental illness, compared to those who sought treatment, those who did not had a higher preference for self-management and found advice from others less important. For those without mental illness, those with no intention to seek treatment indicated a higher preference for self-management, stigma-related concerns, denial of symptoms, lower belief in treatment effectiveness and found it less important to be an example, compared to those with treatment-seeking intentions. A clear indication of where to seek help was the most reported need (95.7%). Regression analyses indicated that not seeking treatment was most strongly related to preference for self-management (OR(95%CI) = 4.36(2.02–9.39); no intention to seek treatment was most strongly related to a lower belief that treatment is effective (OR(95%CI) = .41(0.28–0.59) and with not having had positive earlier experiences with treatment seeking (OR(95%CI) = .34(0.22–0.52). ConclusionsTo facilitate (early) treatment seeking, interventions should align with a high preference for self-management, mental illness stigma should be targeted, and a clear indication of where to seek treatment is needed.

Supplemental Material for Behavior or Diagnosis? Effects of Irritable Patient Behavior and a Schizophrenia Diagnosis on Mental Illness Stigma

Supplemental Material for Behavior or Diagnosis? Effects of Irritable Patient Behavior and a Schizophrenia Diagnosis on Mental Illness Stigma

More than Mental Illness: Experiences of Associating with Stigma of Mental Illness for Chinese College Students.

From existing empirical research, we identified that Chinese college students commonly experience stigma surrounding mental illness and found some factors that support them in resisting the stigma and achieving psychological health. However, less research provides qualitative data involving individual experiences and insights on mental illness within this group of college students. This study, based on Linking Hearts (an internationally cooperative research-sharing project between China and Canada), was conducted in Shandong, Jinan, and aims to promote the mental health of college students by empowering interdisciplinary professionals and students. Through the research project, this study analyzed the materials from 24 focus groups, explored the understanding of mental illness and prevalence of mental illness stigma in Chinese colleges at the present time, administered a background questionnaire, and provided statistical support for some revealed themes. The final themes are as follows: mental illness is stereotyped as “severe, pathetic, and complicated”; the misconception of “visiting a psychological counselor is scary”; from public stigma to self-stigma; barriers deterring students from seeking help or accessing services; two sides of the same coin: peer support versus peer pressure.

Exploring Empathy and Compassion Using Digital Narratives (the Learning to Care Project): Protocol for a Multiphase Mixed Methods Study.

BackgroundDigital stories—first-person, self-made, 2- to 3-minute videos—generate awareness, impart knowledge, and promote understanding on topics such as mental illness. Digital stories are a narrative-based art form often created by individuals without formal training in filmmaking to relate personal experiences. Somewhat like digital narratives, video testimonies created within the social marketing or fundraising campaigns of government agencies and private or public corporations aim to reduce the stigma of mental illness while supporting research and services. In video testimonies, personal stories are captured on camera by professional filmmakers. Sharing critical life events greatly benefits tellers and listeners alike, supporting catharsis, healing, connectiveness, and citizenship.ObjectiveThis study explores digital stories and video testimonies featuring mental illness and recovery in their ability to elicit empathy and compassion while reducing stigma among viewers.MethodsUsing mixed methods, phase 1 will involve a search of Canadian social marketing activities and fundraising campaigns concerning mental illness and recovery. Phase 2 will involve the organization of digital storytelling workshops in which participants will create digital stories about their own experiences of mental illness and recovery. In phase 3, a pilot randomized controlled trial will be undertaken to compare marketing and fundraising campaigns with digital stories for their impact on viewers, whereas phase 4 will focus on knowledge dissemination.ResultsEthics approval for this study was received in March 2021. Data on the feasibility of the study design and the results of the controlled trial will be generated. This study will produce new knowledge on effective ways of promoting mental health awareness and decreasing stigma, with practical importance for future social marketing and fundraising campaigns. The anticipated time for completion within the 2-year study period includes 9 months for phase 1 (knowledge synthesis activities identifying social marketing and fundraising campaigns) and phase 2 (storytelling workshops), 11 months for phase 3 (feasibility assessment and data collection: randomized controlled trial), and 2 months for phase 4 (knowledge dissemination).ConclusionsThe knowledge generated will have practical implications for the public and for future social marketing and fundraising campaigns promoted by government agencies as well as nonprofit and for-profit organizations by enhancing our understanding of how individuals and societies respond to stories of mental distress and what prompts citizens to help others.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04881084; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04881084International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/33525

Rumor Has it: "Dementia" A Discourse-Analytical Analysis of Obituaries of People With Dementia.

Despite the increasing incidence of the condition, people with dementia face a double stigma: ageism and the stigma of mental illness. The stigmatization of the condition has negative consequences, and can even lead to self-stigmatization. To develop adequate education programs to overcome the harmful stigma, the degree and the characteristics of that stigmatization have to be identified. In this study, the content and the language of obituaries of well-known people with dementia are analyzed using a qualitative bottom-up approach. If mentioned, the dementia receives little attention and the information given does not exceed common knowledge. Euphemistic language such as metaphors is introduced not to circumvent the condition, but to palliate its degressive nature.

Perspectives of university health care students on mental health stigma in Nigeria: Qualitative analysis.

Mental illness is a significant public health burden in low- and middle-income countries. A wide treatment gap in mental health care exists within the Nigerian health care system and this gap is worsened by the presence of stigma associated with mental illness, which leads to delay in treatment or acts as a barrier to any care. In this study, our aim was to understand the factors that underlie mental illness stigma in order to inform the design of effective stigma-reducing interventions among health care students in Nigeria. We conducted four focus groups among university health care students in March 2019 in Nigeria. The students included nursing, pharmacy, and medical trainees from a university teaching hospital. We used an inductive-driven thematic analysis to identify codes and themes related to mental health stigma and conceptualization of mental health within the study group. Among the 40 participants, we identified how specific interpretations of religious and spiritual beliefs may be associated with stigmatizing behaviors such as social distancing and discrimination. Conceptualization of mental illness as a communicable disease and the attribution of mental illness to a moral failing contributed to stigma mechanisms. Overall, eight themes associated with mental health stigma and mental health-related concepts were found: spirituality, discrimination and devaluation, conceptualization of mental health, attribution theories, methods to reduce stigma, shortage of resources, violence and dangerousness, and maltreatment. We found that the co-existence of spiritual beliefs and biomedical and psychological models of mental health is a key factor to consider in the design of effective stigma-reducing interventions among university health students in Nigeria.

Symposium

Objectives: To discuss influence of sociocultural factors on treatment-seeking in psychiatric practiceBackground: According to National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) there is a huge treatment gap for psychiatric disorders. Though, the limitation of available resources is an important factor, available resources are also underutilised. One important influencer that affects treatment decision is sociocultural understanding about the mental illness. Other factors like education, employment and locality also influence the treatment choices. Among sociocultural factors stigma and faith healing practices are important and dominating factors determining treatment seeking as well as adherence in Indian context. The stigma of mental illness not only leads to delay in seeking treatment but also increase the chances of dropout from psychiatric treatment adversely affecting the prognosis. Similarly, faith healing is an important factor in Indian setting. The symposium will focus on these domains, to increase understanding of clinicians.Description of the symposium: This symposium will be discussed under following heading: 1.Introduction to sociocultural factors2.How stigma influences treatment seeking3.Influence of faith healing on treatment choices Speakers: 1.Dr. Naresh Nebhinani,Additional Professor & Head, Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS Jodhpur, India. Email ID: drnaresh_pgi@yahoo.com2.Dr. Mukesh Kumar Swami,Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS Jodhpur, India. Email ID: mukesh.swami@gmail.com3.Dr. Navratan Suthar,Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS, Jodhpur, India. Email ID: navratansuthar86@gmail.com