Books, Articles and Research
Compeer friends: A qualitative study of a volunteer friendship programme for people with serious mental illness
This study explored the benefits and drawbacks of an intentional friendship programme (Compeer, Inc), which develops new social relationships for people with serious mental illness by matching them in one-to-one relationships with community volunteers for weekly social activities.
Social support, activities, and recovery from serious mental illness: STARS study findings
Research on the role of social support in recovery from severe mental illness is limited and even more limited is research on the potential effects of participating in various activities. This study explores these relationships by analyzing baseline data from a 153-participant subsample in the Study of Transitions and Recovery Strategies.
The meaning and importance of employment to people in recovery from serious mental illness: Results of a qualitative study
Given the high rates of unemployment and underemployment among individuals with psychiatric disabilities, only a small number of studies have investigated the role work has in the lives of people who have been successful vocationally during their recovery from serious mental illness. This study sought to add to existing literature by determining how individuals perceive work and its effect on their recovery.
Social relationships as a decisive factor in recovering from severe mental illness
Recovery research often describes recovery from mental illness as a complex individual process. In this article a social perspective on recovery is developed. Researchers aim to ascertain which factors people regard as decisive to their own recovery and what makes them beneficial.
Effects of culturally relevant psychoeducation for Korean American families of persons with chronic mental illness
The goal of this study is to identify culturally relevant treatment methods and to assess the effects of family psychoeducational intervention for Korean Americans who had a family member with mental illness.
Stigma, poverty, and victimization: Roadblocks to Recovery for Individuals With Severe Mental Illness
This article addresses three roadblocks that exist towards recovery for individiauls with a mental illness including stigma, poverty, and victimization.
Ingroup perception and responses to stigma among persons with mental illness
Researchers tested the hypothesis that the way persons with mental illness perceive their ingroup (people with mental illness) in terms of group value, group identification and entitativity (perception of the ingroup as a coherent unit) shapes their reaction to stigma.
Relationships between stigma, depression, and treatment in white and African American primary care patients
This study examined the relationships among depression, mental health stigma, and treatment in African American and white primary care patients.
Changing attitudes of high school students towards peers with mental health problems
This study evaluated the effects of an antistigma program that was initiated in schools of Serbia with the aim to address and decrease discrimination of adolescents with mental disorders.
Unfortunately, we treat the chart:" Sources of stigma in mental health settings
This study investigated stigma in mental health settings through a mixed qualitative-quantitative design.
Passing for "normal": Features that affect the community inclusion of people with mental illness
The purpose of this study was to investigate specific features that indicate to community members that a person has a mental illness and the emotional reactions elicited by these features, in hopes of understanding barriers to the community integration of people living with mental illnesses.
Predicting behavioral intentions to those with mental illness: The role of attitude specificity and norms
The goal of this study is to investigate whether attitudes towards specific behaviours and perceived normative expectations improve prediction of behavioural intentions towards a person with mental illness.
Attitudes toward mental health services: age-group differences in Korean American adults
The present study examined the attitudes toward mental health services held by younger and older groups of Korean Americans. The findings provide important implications for interventions targeted to improve access to mental health care among minority populations. Based on the similarities and differences found between young and old, both general and age-specific strategies need to be developed in order to increase effectiveness of these programs.
"Culture in psychiatric epidemiology: Using ethnography and multiple mediator models to assess the relationship of caste with depression and anxiety in Nepal
The study aimed to identify mediators underlying caste-based disparities in mental health in Nepal. Caste-based disparities in mental health in rural Nepal are statistically mediated by poverty, lack of social support, and stressful life events. Interventions should target these areas to alleviate the excess mental health burden born by Dalit/Nepali women and men.
Mental disability and discriminatory practices: Effects of social representations of the mexican population
The aim of this study was to describe the general population's social representations of the disabled and analyze their relationship with the discriminatory practices from the state towards the mentally ill with respect to their right to health.
Psychotic symptoms and general health in a socially disadvantaged migrant community in Bologna
This cross-sectional study aims to evaluate the prevalence of psychotic symptoms among Romanian immigrants living in very poor conditions at an abandoned hotel in Bologna and to highlight the possible correlation with general health status, distress and socio-demographic characteristics.
Public stigma in relation to individuals with depression
This study assessed public stigma in relation to individuals with depression and possible factors associated with this phenomenon.
Addressing recovery from severe mental illness in clinical supervision of advanced students
This article begins a dialogue about the need to incorporate emerging knowledge about recovery as an attainable outcome for individuals with severe mental illness in curricula. The author proposes that clinical supervision from a recovery model is faced with at least four semi-distinct challenges: the detection and avoidance of stigma, the setting of consensually valid and personally relevant goals, the development of a therapeutic relationship, and the assessment of barriers to recovery and outcomes.
So I wouldn't feel like I was excluded: The learning experience in computer education for persons with psychiatric disabilities.
This paper describes an exploratory, qualitative examination of factors that aid in the acquisition of computer skills by 12 adults across 2 settings: a structured, professionally-taught program and a less structured peer-taught setting. These pilot findings highlighted the importance to teaching effectiveness of striking a balance between flexibility and structure, with computer knowledge having broader implications for social inclusion.
Perceived helpfulness of websites for mental health information : A national survey of young Australians
Despite the high risk of developing a mental disorder during adolescence, many young people fail to receive appropriate treatment from mental health professionals. Recent studies have found certain mental health information websites have improved mental health literacy and reduced symptoms of depression. However, studies exploring young people's perceptions of such resources still remain scarce. The current paper compared young people's preference for a website with self-help books and two face-to-face services-counselling and mental health services.
To seek advice or not to seek advice about the problem: The help-seeking dilemma for obsessive-compulsive disorder
The present study aimed to explore some variables hypothetically involved in the help-seeking process among patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Behavioral health needs and problem recognition by older adults receiving home-based aging services
The aims of this study were to examine behavioral health problems in a sample of older adults receiving home-based aging services, their recognition of behavioral health problems, and covariates of problem recognition.
Touch in mental health nursing: An exploratory study of nurses' views and perceptions
The aim of this study was to explore psychiatric nurses' perceptions of physical touch with people who experience mental health problems. A descriptive exploratory qualitative research design was used. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 10 registered psychiatric nurses who met the inclusion criteria and were randomly selected to participate in the study.
Health-related stigma
The concept of stigma, denoting relations of shame, has a long ancestry and has from the earliest times been associated with deviations from the 'normal', including, in various times and places, deviations from normative prescriptions of acceptable states of being for self and others. This paper dwells on modern social formations and offers conceptual and theoretical pointers towards a more convincing contemporary sociology of health-related stigma.
"Impact of a mental health teaching programme on adolescents
The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a mental health teaching programme on adolescent pupils? understanding.
What factors influence attitudes towards people with current depression and current mania?
In this article, the authors were interested in learning if vulnerability to psychosis and mood disorders as well as social desirability can affect attitudes towards major depressive episodes and manic episodes.
Are personal values of importance in the stigmatization of people with mental illness?
The objective of this study was to investigate the relation of responses to the Schwartz Value Scale to preferred social distance to a person with either schizophrenia or depression. The influence of personal value priorities on discrimination has been investigated in several contexts, but seldom with reference to social distance towards those with mental illness.
Desire for social distance from people with mental disorders.
The review examines measurement of social distance; characteristics of people who desire greater social distance; experiences that affect social distance; characteristics of people that elicit social distance; the effects of psychiatric labelling; the effects of causal explanations for mental disorders; and interventions to reduce social distance.
An emotive subject: Insights from social, voluntary and healthcare professionals into the feelings of family carers for people with mental health problems.
This paper explores the emotions of family carers from the perspectives of social, voluntary and healthcare professionals. Sixty-five participants were interviewed, the sample included directors, managers and senior staff from social, voluntary and healthcare organisations.
SESAMI study of employment support for people with severe mental health problems: 12-month outcomes
In the context of UK policy to promote employment for people with disability as a means to greater social inclusion, this study investigated how people with severe mental health problems fare in existing supported employment agencies. The aim of the study was to identify factors associated with successful placement in work and to test the impact of working on psychological well-being in this group.
A comparison of contextual and biomedical models of stigma reduction for depression with a nonclinical undergraduate sample.
This study compared biomedical, contextual, and control stigma reduction programs to each other and to a no-program control. The main hypotheses were that the contextual program would have the greatest impact and that a match between participants' beliefs about depression and the model presented would moderate this effect.
The intricate link between violence and mental disorder
The objective of this study was to use a longitudinal data set representative of the US population to clarify whether or how severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression lead to violent behavior.
Patient ethnicity and perceptions of families and friends regarding depression treatment
"Black Americans are less likely than white Americans to seek professional treatment for depression. Whether treatment recommendations are sought and implemented by patients will be influenced by the role families and friends play in diagnostic acceptance and treatment decisions. Researchers investigated the association of ethnicity with the perceived need for treatment of depression by family and friends of older primary care patients.
The Role of Gender in Mental-Illness Stigma: A National Experiment
In a national, Web-based survey experiment, the authors' investigated the role played by gender in moderating mental-illness stigma. Respondents read a case summary in which the gender of the person was orthogonally manipulated along with the type of disorder; the cases reflected either a male-typical disorder or a female-typical disorder.
Attitudes towards mental illness among health care students at Swedish universities - A follow-up study after completed clinical placement
The aim of the study was to examine the changes in attitudes towards mental illness after theoretical education and clinical placement among students from university programmes preparing for different kinds of health professions.
A study of stigmatized attitudes towards people with mental health problems among health professionals
The project aimed to assess stigmatized attitudes among health professionals directed towards people with mental health problems. The Attitude to Mental Illness Questionnaire was used to assess participants' attitudes towards fictitious patients from a secure forensic hospital and patients with schizophrenia and substance use disorders.
Attitudes to people with mental disorders: A mental health literacy survey in a rural area of Maharashtra, India
In this study a cross-sectional mental health literacy survey was undertaken in late 2007, which involved interviewer-administration of a questionnaire to 240 systematically sampled community members, and 60 purposively sampled village health workers.
Impact of a mental health teaching programme on adolescents
This cross-sectional study utilizes interviews with 60 adolescents treated in a wraparound program to examine: (a) the extent to which adolescents diagnosed and treated for psychiatric disorders experience mental illness stigma and cope by using secrecy, (b) the extent to which stigmatization is associated with self-concept (self-esteem, mastery, future outlook) and morale (depression), and (c) which clinical and demographic characteristics are associated with perceived stigma.
Interpersonal discrimination and the health of illicit drug users
The purpose of this study was to examine the association between interpersonal discrimination and the mental and physical health of illicit drug users taking into account several potential confounding factors.
Physicians-in-training attitudes toward caring for and working with patients with alcohol and drug abuse diagnoses
This study is designed to identify the progression of attitudinal shifts over time of physicians-in-training toward caring for people who receive substance abuse treatment.
Addressing negative attitudes toward substance use in nursing: A peer-led approach in nurse education
The overall focus of the author?s doctoral research is to consider the factors that influence the attitudes of student nurses toward the use of illicit substances.The project will provide an insight into how pre-existing attitudes and values around illicit drugs have formed and are adapted during pre-registration nurse training.
Shame, not guilt, related to substance-abuse problems; Reducing feelings of shame may be key to more effective treatment
This study included three groups of participants with different levels of alcohol and drug problems. Two groups were primarily female college students about 20 years of age. The third group was comprised of predominantly male inmates from a metropolitan area jail who were, on average, 31 years of age.It appears that individuals who are prone to shame when dealing with a variety of life problems may also have a tendency to turn toward alcohol and other drugs to cope with this feeling.
The role of gender in mental-illness stigma: A national experiment
In a national, Web-based survey experiment, the authors investigated the role played by gender in moderating mental-illness stigma.
Creating change: Using the arts to help stop the stigma of mental Illness and foster social integration
In this article the author hopes to create a passion for change and suggest a way that everyone can help stop stigma. However, research is needed; a design for a study to test this hypothesis is described.
Effects of perceived discrimination on mental health and mental health services utilization among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons.
In this article the authors examined the extent to which a recent experience of a major discriminatory event may contribute to poor mental health among LGBT persons.
Mental illness: Diagnostic title or derogatory term? (Attitudes towards mental illness) Developing a learning resource for use within a clinical call centre. A systematic literature review on attitudes towards mental illness
This systematic literature review was completed to investigate what the most common negative attitudes towards mental illness are, and the most common recommendations made to address them.
Reducing the stigma of mental illness
A national report on mental health, produced by the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, indicates that Canada lags behind other developed countries in awareness of mental health and mental disorders. The report points out that health-care professionals are among the groups that perpetuate the stigma associated with mental illness.
Self-labeling and its effects among adolescents diagnosed with mental disorders
This study uses mixed-method interviews with 54 US adolescents receiving integrated mental health services in a mid-sized mid-Western city to examine: (1) the extent to which they use psychiatric terms to refer to their problems ("self-label"), and (2) the relationships between adolescents' self-labeling and indicators of psychological well-being (self-esteem, mastery, depression and self-stigma).
Stigmatization, social distance and exclusion because of mental illness: The individual with mental illness as a 'stranger'
In this article, the author states a lack of knowledge of causes, symptoms and treatment options of mental disorders in the public and a lack of personal contact with affected individuals can result in prejudices and negative attitudes towards them-and subsequently in stigmatization and discrimination.
Social exclusion in clients with comorbid mental health and substance misuse problems
A case-control study to examine aspects of social exclusion between service users who have comorbid diagnoses and those with a single diagnosis. Samples were drawn from the service users of a mental health Trust in the South-East of England, from both Adult Mental Health (n = 400) and Drug and Alcohol services (n = 190). Data were collected from Care Programme Approach assessment forms and medical records.
Social exclusion and mental health: Conceptual and methodological review
The aim of this study was to conduct a conceptual and methodological review of social exclusion, focusing initially on the origins and definitions of the concept and then on approaches to its measurement, both in general and in relation to mental health.
Mental health training for law enforcement professionals
The purpose of this pilot study was to determine topics of interest and preferred modalities of training for police officers in their work with persons with mental illness. Police officers across Massachusetts attending in-service mental health training were asked to rate the importance of potential mental health topics and the effectiveness of potential training modalities on a Likert-type scale.
Small business employers' views on hiring individuals with mental illness
This study investigated the beliefs of small business employers regarding hiring individuals with mental illness. Fifty-eight participants completed mail-in questionnaires concerning beliefs and willingness to hire persons with mental illness.
A cross-cultural study of employers' concerns about hiring people with psychotic disorder: implications for recovery
In this study, we tested this lay approach by comparing employers' concerns about hiring people with psychotic disorder for entry-level jobs in US and China.
Employing persons with serious mental illness
In this study data from various national surveys find that approximately half the population with mental disorders is gainfully employed across the entire range of occupations; such persons have an employment rate of about two-thirds that of the general population.
Self-stigma, empowerment, and perceived legitimacy of discrimination among women with mental illness
The study sought to better understand why some people with mental illness self-stigmatize and develop low self-esteem while others remain indifferent to stigma or respond with a sense of empowerment. The authors hypothesized that a high level of perceived discrimination, little sense of identification with the group of people with mental illness, and a high level of perceived legitimacy of discrimination lead to self-stigma.
Increasing social support for individuals with serious mental illness: evaluating the compeer model of intentional friendship
In this study, the authors conducted a quasi-experimental study of Compeer, which matches community volunteers and people with SMI to increase social support.
Perceptions of discrimination among persons with serious mental illness
The authors sought to gain further perspective on discrimination experienced by persons with mental illness by comparing self-reports of discrimination due to mental illness to self-reports of discrimination due to other group characteristics, such as race, gender, and sexual orientation.
Mental illness and employment discrimination
This review summarizes recent evidence pertaining to employment-related stigma and discrimination experienced by people with mental disabilities.
Employment equity and mental disability
Recent research on the civil rights issue of employment equity for people with psychiatric disabilities is reviewed.
Stigmatization in different mental health services: a comparison of psychiatric and general hospitals.
This article compares clients from psychiatric and general hospitals according to three dimensions of stigmatization, using data from structured questionnaires (n = 555). The results reveal that when background characteristics are taken into account clients of psychiatric wards of general hospitals report less stigma expectations and social rejection experiences in comparison with their counterparts in psychiatric hospitals.
Pathways between internalized stigma and outcomes related to recovery in schizophrenia spectrum disorders
This study empirically evaluated a model for how internalized stigma affects important outcomes related to recovery. A total of 102 persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders completed measures of internalized stigma, awareness of mental illness, psychiatric symptoms, self-esteem, hopefulness, and coping. Path analyses tested a predicted model and an alternative model for the relationships between the variables.
Soldier attitudes toward mental health screening and seeking care upon return from combat
This study examined soldier attitudes about postdeployment mental health screening, treatment, barriers to care, strategies for overcoming barriers, and settings, personnel and timing for conducting postdeployment mental health screening.
Social distance towards people with mental illness in southwestern Nigeria
The aim of the present study was to assess the lay public's attitude (social distance) towards people with mental illness in southwestern Nigeria and examine the factors correlating with such an attitude.
Beliefs about depression and depression treatment among depressed veterans
In this article the authors states that they studied beliefs about depression and depression treatment among patients in a randomized trial of a chronic care intervention to improve depression treatment in the Veterans Administration healthcare system (n = 395).
How stigma interferes with mental health care
Many people who would benefit from mental health services opt not to pursue them or fail to fully participate once they have begun. One of the reasons for this disconnect is stigma; namely, to avoid the label of mental illness and the harm it brings, people decide not to seek or fully participate in care. Given the existing literature in this area, recommendations are reviewed for ongoing research that will more comprehensively expand understanding of the stigma-care seeking link.
Community integration of transition-age individuals: views of young with mental health disorders
This qualitative study examines the perceptions of young adults with mental health disorders of community integration.Implications of the study discuss roles for behavioral health services in encouraging empowerment, choices, and connections so that young people with mental health disorders may achieve their preferred levels of community integration.
"In the mind of another' shame and acute psychiatric inpatient care: an exploratory study. A report on phase one: service users
The study explores service users' subjective experience of shame before, during and after psychiatric hospital admission. The research study's aims are to learn about situations that might influence quality of care because of shame experienced by individuals and groups of people.
Becoming culturally competent in ethnic psychopharmacology
This article will focus on the realm of ethnic psychopharmacology and propose a practice model for nurses to become culturally competent in the area of ethnic psychopharmacology.
The attitudes and sterotypes of supporting fields towards the persons with disabilities
The aim of this research was to establish the attitudes, the views and reactions of the helping fields (which include social workers and medical nurses) and those who aren't the part of that cathegory, towards the mentally ill people.
Community perceptions of mental health needs in an underserved minority neighborhood
This community-based participatory study asked residents about the meaning of mental health, their perceptions of community mental health needs, barriers to accessing mental health care, and acceptability of mental health services that are integrated in primary health clinics.
"Pharmacy Students' Attitudes Toward and Professional Interactions With People With Mental Disorders
The aim of this study was to assess the attitudes of pharmacy students toward people with schizophrenia, and to determine whether stigma predicts less positive attitudes toward concordant medication counselling.
Affiliate Stigma Among Caregivers of People with Intellectual Disability or Mental Illness
In this study two hundred and ten caregivers of people with intellectual disability (CPID) and 108 caregivers of people with mental illness (CPMI) were recruited to validate the 22-item Affiliate Stigma Scale with caregiving stress, subjective burden and positive perceptions.
Dispelling the stigma of schizophrenia: II. The impact of information on dangerousness.
The study investigated whether presentation of information describing the association between violent behavior and schizophrenia could affect subjects' impressions of the dangerousness of both a target person with schizophrenia and individuals with mental illness in general.
On stigma and its consequences: Evidence from a longitudinal study of men with dual diagnoses of mental illness and substance abuse.
In this study the authors test whether stigma has enduring effects on well-being by interviewing 84 men with dual diagnoses of mental disorder and substance abuse at two points in time--at entry into treatment, when they were addicted to drugs and had many psychiatric symptoms and then again after a year of treatment, when they were far less symptomatic and largely drug- and alcohol-free. This finding indicates that stigma continues to complicate the lives of the stigmatized even as treatment improves their symptoms and functioning.
Exploring the role and perspectives of mental health nurse practitioners following psychosocial interventions training.
The authors reports the findings of a study on the roles and perspectives of mental health nurse practitioners towards clients with enduring mental illness and their carers following completion of Psychosocial interventions (PSI) training.
The public's stigmatizing attitudes towards people with mental disorders: how important are biomedical conceptualizations?
This study examined hypotheses that stigmatizing attitudes are increased by use of psychiatric labels, by conceptualization of symptoms as a medical illness and by belief in genetic causes.
Social exclusion in clients with comorbid mental health and substance misuse problems
The concept of comorbid mental health problems and substance misuse has gained prominence in the last two decades, due in part to the closure of large psychiatric hospitals and to the increasing prevalence of drug use in the community. This client group has a dual requirement for both medical and social care needs and is at risk for social exclusion.
Reducing self-stigma in substance abuse through acceptance and commitment therapy: Model, manual development, and pilot outcomes
This article describes the development of an acceptance based treatment (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-ACT) for self-stigma in individuals in treatment for substance use disorder.
Stigma, social inequality and alcohol and drug use
This paper discusses stigma and marginalization in connection with psychoactive substance use, and how these affect patterns by social class and other social inequalities. The author argues that because alcohol and drug use are highly moralized issues, lower income individuals who enter treatment for AOD abuse are often faced with stigma and marginalization, which then in turn result in adverse outcomes.
The stigma of substance abuse: A review of the literature
This paper provides an in-depth look at the literature that has been developed on stigma, particularly as related to substance abuse.
An investigation of stigma in individuals receiving treatment for substance abuse
This study examined the impact of stigma on patients in substance abuse treatment. Patients from fifteen residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment facilities completed a survey focused on their experiences with stigma as well as other measures of drug use and functioning.
Stigma, discrimination and the health of illicit drug users
Researchers conducted this study to measure how discrimination may affect the mental and physical health among illicit drug users. The association of stigma and discrimination with poor health among drug users suggests the need for debate on the relative risks and benefits of stigma and discrimination in this context.
Mental health provider perspectives on co-occurring substance use among severely mentally ill clients
This qualitative study explores strategies used by mental health providers to address substance use problems among clients with serious mental illnesses and their perspectives on barriers to treatment and how treatment can be improved.
Severely mentally ill consumers' perspectives on drug use
This qualitative study examined two potential client-level barriers to treatment: minimization of drug problems and perceived acceptability of drug use to reduce psychiatric symptoms. Open-ended interviews about drug use were conducted with 24 adults with severe mental illlnesses with substance use problems.
What's in a label? The effects of substance types and labels on treatment considerations and stigma
In this study, researchers evaluated responses to selected scenarios related to substance abuse. These evaluations demonstrated how individuals view different types of substance abuse and possibilities of recovery.
On stigma and its consequences: Evidence from a longitudinal study of men with dual diagnoses of mental illness and substance abuse
In this study researchers test whether stigma has enduring effects on well-being by interviewing 84 men with dual diagnoses of mental disorder and substance abuse at two points in time--at entry into treatment, when they were addicted to drugs and had many psychiatric symptoms and then again after a year of treatment, when they were far less symptomatic and largely drug- and alcohol-free.
Factors associated with perceived stigma for alcohol use and treatment among at-risk drinkers
This study examined the perceived public stigma for alcohol use and treatment among a sample of 733 at-risk drinkers living in the South.
How do children stigmatize people with mental illness?
The purpose of this study was to validate models of mental illness stigma on children in grades 6-8.
"Culture, children, and mental health treatment: Special section on the national stigma study-children
This introduction to a special section of the "Psychiatric Services" journal discusses the need for a nationally representative survey of public knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs on children's mental health. It also provides brief information on the survey that was conducted and its outcomes.
Making a difficult situation worse: Stigma and mental Health in children
This brief article discusses the recent study on children and mental illness; noting that children with depression or ADHD and their parents not only face the challenge of an illness, but may confront the stigma that accompanies treatment and social rejection.
Public knowledge and assessment of child mental health problems: findings from the National Stigma Study-Children.
Child and adolescent psychiatry confronts help-seeking delays and low treatment use and adherence. Although lack of knowledge has been cited as an underlying reason, the authors aim to provide data on public recognition of, and beliefs about, problems and sources of help.
Mental health of young people: A global public-health challenge.
This article discusses the mental health of young people and proposes the development of a population-based, youth focused model, explicitly integrating mental health with other youth health and welfare expertise in order to remedy the situation.
Stigmatizing attitudes and beliefs about treatment and psychiatric medications for children with mental illness
In this study data on community responses to two treatment issues critical for children and adolescents with mental health problems are addressed: stigma associated with receiving mental health care and the willingness to use psychiatric medication.
What do final year medical students at the University of Papua New Guinea think of psychiatry?
This study was conducted in 2004 to determine whether there was any difference between final year medical students who had rotated in psychiatry and those who had not, in terms of their preference for psychiatry as a career and their attitudes towards mental illness.
Adolescents' attitudes toward schizophrenia, depression and PTSD
The objective of this study was to compare adolescents' attitudes toward schizophrenia, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Stigmatizing attitudes toward these three mental disorders were evaluated in 325 senior students from medical, commercial, and grammar high schools in Croatia using a 45-item questionnaire.
Self-stigma, self-esteem and age in persons with schizophrenia
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between self-stigma and self-esteem in people with schizophrenia in both younger and older age groups.
Depression self-stigma: A new measure and preliminary findings
This study sought to develop the Depression Self-Stigma Scale (DSSS) and identify distinct constructs associated with depression self-stigma.
The association between perceived discrimination and underutilization of needed medical and mental health care in a multi-ethnic community sample
This study examines the association between perceived discrimination and underutilization of needed medical and mental health care, in a representative, multi-ethnic community sample. Data were derived from a cross sectional survey of 10,098 White, U.S.-born Black, African-born Black, American Indian, Hispanic, and Southeast Asian adults in Hennepin County, Minnesota.The higher prevalence of discrimination among racial and ethnic minorities may contribute to their underutilization of health care services. Future research is needed to understand the impacts of different types of discrimination on different groups.
Association of perceived stigma and mood and anxiety disorders: Results from the World Mental Health Surveys
In this study, the researchers assessed the prevalence of perceived stigma among persons with mental disorders and chronic physical conditions in an international study.
Factors and measurement of mental Illness stigma: A Psychometric examination of the attribution questionaire
The purpose of this study was to further evaluate the psychometric properties of one such measure, the Attribution Questionnaire (AQ). Based on responses from 774 college students, exploratory factor analyses were conducted followed by an examination of the reliability and validity of the newly formed factor scales.
The prevalene of perceived discrimination among African American and Caribbean Black youth
This study examined ethnic, gender, and age differences in perceived discrimination and the association between perceived discrimination and psychological well-being in a nationally representative sample of Black adolescents.
Mental illness: Diagnostic title or derogatory term? (Attitudes towards mental illness) Developing a learning resource for use within a clinical call centre. A systematic literature review on attitudes towards mental illness
This systematic literature review was completed to investigate what the most common negative attitudes towards mental illness are, and the most common recommendations made to address them. The findings were used to inform teaching resources used in an National Health Service Direct call centre.
"Can antistigma campaigns be improved? A test of the impact of biogenetic vs psychosocial causal explanations on implicit and explicit attitudes to schizophrenia
The present study investigates the impact of different psychoeducational interventions on the etiology of schizophrenia (biogentic and psychosocial vs a neutral condition) and on stigmatizing attitudes in medical and psychology students.
Understanding and influencing the stigma of mental illness
In this article the researcher addressed three kinds of stigma that may act as barriers to personal aspirations: public stigma, self-stigma, and label avoidance. He also proposes methods that can be used to counter these stigmas.
The stigma of families with mental illness
This article describes family stigma, which is defined as the prejudice and discrimination experienced by individuals through associations with their relatives. The authors also present strategies to eliminate stigma and discuss implications for the training goals of psychiatrists throughout the text.
Psychoeducation to address stigma in Black adults referred for mental health treatment: A randomized pilot study.
In this study, forty-two Black clients referred for outpatient treatment were randomly assigned to receive existing brochures about services or a psychoeducational booklet about stigma based on experiences of Black mental health consumers. At 3-month follow-up, clients reported that both types of information were helpful; there were no significant differences between the types of information on treatment attendance.
Mental illness stigma and its correlates among adolescent wraparound clients
This synopsis of a presentation made during the 2007 Annual Research Conference provides information on a study that was conducted examining the mental illness stigma experiences of adolescents receiving wraparound services and identifies individual, familial, social, clinical, and treatment-related factors associated with mental illness stigma.
Gender, race-ethnicity, and psychosocial barriers to mental healthcare: An examination of perceptions and attitudes among adults reporting unmet need
This study investigates correlates of psychosocial barriers to mental health care in a population of adults reporting unmet need for mental health care, focusing on gender and race-ethnicity.
Racial/ethnic discrimination and health: Findings from community studies
The authors review the available empirical evidence from population-based studies of the association between perceptions of racial/ethnic discrimination and health. This research indicates that discrimination is associated with multiple indicators of poorer physical and, especially, mental health status. However, the extant research does not adequately address whether and how exposure to discrimination leads to increased risk of disease.
How Children Stigmatize People With Mental Illness
In this article, the authors discuss their review of social cognitive development and ethnic prejudice,in order to learn about mental illness stigma among children. They then summarize the literature on stigma change, focusing on how specific strategies interact with what is known about social cognitive development and prejudice. Strategies that are reviewed include education, contact, social cognitive skills training, role play for empathy, peer interaction, protest and consequences.
Gender specific correlates of stigma toward depression in a Canadian general population sample
The objective of this study was to identify gender specific demographic, clinical, knowledge and attitudinal factors associated with stigma related to depression.
Neuroscience and mental health education: A multimedia curriculum and teacher education project for middle school children
This study evaluated a mental health and drug awareness program for fifth grade students presented by the Hult and Crown Health Education Centers (HHEC and CHEC). Pre- and post-test data were collected from 197 fifth grade students randomly assigned to two treatment groups and one control group for each center.
Don't call me nuts! Coping with the stigma of mental illness
Don't Call Me Nuts! is a handbook for persons with mental illness. In its pages are discussions about dealing with self-stigma, knowing when or whether to disclose a mental illness, seven ways to foster personal empowerment, and legal and political remedies. The book explores the public's reaction to stigma through the methods of contact, education, or protest.
Can antistigma campaigns be improved? A test of the impact of biogenetic vs psychosocial causal explanations on implicit and explicit attitudes to schizophrenia
The present study investigates the impact of different psychoeducational interventions on the etiology of schizophrenia (biogenetic and psychosocial, vs a neutral condition) and on stigmatizing attitudes in medical and psychology students. Attitudes were assessed before and after the interventions on an explicit level using the stereotype questionnaire and the Social Distance Scale as well as on an implicit level, using the Implicit Association Test.
Anti-stigma films and medical students attitudes towards mental illness and psychiatry: Randomised controlled trial
The aim of this study is to explore the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial of the effects of two anti-stigma films on medical students? attitudes to serious mental illness and psychiatry. Attitudes to serious mental illness, perceived dangerousness, social distance and psychiatry, were measured before and after watching the films and at 8 weeks.
Does mental illness stigma contribute to adolescent standardized patients? discomfort with simulations of mental illness and adverse psychosocial experiences?
Adolescent mental illness stigma-related factors may contribute to adolescent standardized patients? (ASP) discomfort with simulations of psychiatric conditions/adverse psychosocial experiences. Paradoxically, however, ASP involvement may provide a stigma-reduction strategy. This article reports an investigation of this hypothetical association between simulation discomfort and mental illness stigma.
Factors and measurement of mental illness stigma: A psychometric examination of the attribution questionnaire
A number of scales are employed to measure mental illness stigma, but many fail to have documented or adequate psychometric properties. The purpose of this study was to further evaluate the psychometric properties of one such measure, the Attribution Questionnaire (AQ).
Public stigma in relation to individuals with depression
This study was conducted in Brazil to assess public stigma in relation to individuals with depression and possible factors associated with this phenomenon.
Children's stigmatization of childhood depression and ADHD: Magnitude and demographic variation in a national sample
The objective of this study was to estimate the magnitude of stigmatizing attitudes toward peers with depression or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a national sample of children ages 8 to 18 and to examine variation in level of stigma by school location, region of the United States, grade level, race/ethnicity, or sex.
Assessment of need for a school-based mental health programme in Nigeria: Perspectives of school administrators
In this study key informants from southwest Nigeria were interviewed to identify their perspectives on child mental illness and needs for a school mental health programme.
Needs and preferences for receiving mental health information in an African American focus group sample
The purpose of this study is to better understand the mental health/illness information and service delivery preferences among African American residents of Baltimore. Researchers conducted four focus groups (n = 42) among African American adults currently unconnected with the mental health system.
The construction of fear: Americans' preferences for social distance from children and adolescents with mental health problems
In this article, researchers organize a general model of stigma that synthesizes previous research. The researchers note that debates about children's mental health problems have raised questions about the reliability and validity of diagnosis and treatment. However, little research has focused on social reactions to children with mental health problems.
Stigmatizing attitudes and beliefs about treatment and psychiatric medications for children with mental illness
Researchers interviewed a representative sample of noninstitutionalized adult participants of the U.S. population to obtain data on community responses to two treatment issues critical for children and adolescents with mental health problems are addressed: stigma associated with receiving mental health care and the willingness to use psychiatric medication.
The self-stigma of mental illness : Implications for self-esteem and self-efficacy
The relationships between elements of a self-stigma model and self-esteem, self-efficacy, and depression are examined in this study. Self-stigma is distinguished from perceived stigma (stereotype awareness) and presented as a three-level model: stereotype agreement, self-concurrence, and self-esteem decrement.
The stigmatisation of psychiatric illness: The attitudes of medical students and doctors in a London teaching hospital
The purpose of this article was to study the attitudes and opinions of doctors and medical students with regard to psychiatric illness a questionnaire was sent to all medical students (832) and all doctors of all grades (441) at a London teaching hospital.
Predictors of depression stigma
The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the predictors of personal and perceived stigma associated with depression.
Stigma as related to mental disorders
The authors begins this review with a multidisciplinary discussion of mechanisms underlying the strong propensity to devalue individuals displaying both deviant behavior and the label of mental illness. The article concludes with a brief review of multilevel efforts to overcome mental illness stigma, spanning policy and legislation, alterations in media depictions, changed attitudes and practices among mental health professionals, contact and empathy enhancement, and family and individual treatment.
Cultural differences in access to care
As high-profile reviews have appeared and international interest has grown, sophisticated studies of the U.S. population continue to document racial and ethnic disparities in initiation of mental health care and in continuity of care. Many explanations focus on cultural factors: trust and treatment receptiveness, stigma, culturally distinctive beliefs about mental illness and mental health, culturally sanctioned ways of expressing mental health-related suffering and coping styles, and client preferences for alternative interventions and treatment-seeking pathways, as well as unresponsive programs and providers.
Challenging stigma around mental illness and promoting social inclusion using the performing arts
This article outlines the rationale, evidence base, method and qualitative evaluation of a project that uses the performing arts to challenge the stigma surrounding mental illness and promote social inclusion of people with mental health problems.
Genetic attribution for schizophrenia, depression, and skin cancer: Impact on social distance
In this study it was predicted that both genetic attribution for illness and type of illness would be related to a desire for social distance. There was a significant interaction between illness type and genetic attribution for illness, with an increase in willingness to interact when schizophrenia was described as genetically caused and a decrease in willingness to interact when major depression was described as genetically caused.
How does being female assist help-seeking for mental health problems?
The aim of the present study was to examine a number of attitudinal factors that may influence help-seeking for mental health problems. Men scored higher on measures of stoicism and personal stigma associated with mental health problems than women, and compared to women had lower scores on the facets of openness to experience.
Social capital, anticipated ethnic discrimination and self-reported psychological health: A population-based study
This study investigates the association between anticipated ethnic discrimination and self-reported psychological health, taking generalized trust in other people into consideration. The 2004 Public Health Survey in Skåne, Sweden, is a cross-sectional postal questionnaire study including a total of 27,757 respondents aged 18-80 with a 59% response rate.
Mental health of Somali adolescent refugees: The role of trauma, stress, and perceived discrimination
The primary purpose of this study was to examine relations between trauma exposure, post-resettlement stressors, perceived discrimination, and mental health symptoms in Somali adolescent refugees resettled in the U.S. Participants were English-speaking Somali adolescent refugees between the ages of 11 and 20 (N = 135) who had resettled in the U.S.
The reccurrence of an illusion: The concept of "Evil" in forensic psychiatry
The author notes an increased interest in the concept of "evil" in the fields of psychiatry and psychology. It is argued that evil can never be scientifically defined because it is an illusory moral concept, it does not exist in nature, and its origins and connotations are inextricably linked to religion and mythology. Use of the term in psychiatry will contribute to stigmatization of mental illness.
Attitudes towards people with mental illness: A cross-sectional study among nursing staff in psychiatric and somatic care
The aim of the present study was to investigate attitudes towards mental illness and people with mental illness among nursing staff working in psychiatric or somatic care. The sample consisted of 120 registered or assistant nurses who were interviewed about intimacy with mental illness and attitudes about seven different mental illnesses.
Perceived stigma and mental health care seeking
This study used cross-sectional survey data from a representative sample of undergraduate and graduate students (N=2,782) at one university. A five-item scale was used to assess perceived public stigma toward mental health service use. Perceived need for help in the past 12 months and current presence of depressive and anxiety disorders were also assessed.
News media portrayal of mental illness
A study of 1999 newspapers revealed that dangerousness is the most common theme of stories about mental illnesses. In contrast, stories of recovery or accomplishment were found to be rare. The ratio of negative to positive stories involving mental illness decreased between 1989 and 1999, but negative stories continued to far outnumber positive ones. The potential influence of these patterns of news coverage on public attitudes and public policy are discussed.
Immigrant perceptions of discrimination in health care: The California Health Interview Survey 2003
In this article the authors examined whether foreign-born persons are more likely to report discrimination in healthcare than U.S.-born persons in the same race/ethnic group, whether the immigration effect varies by race/ethnicity, and whether the immigration effect is "explained" by sociodemographic factors.
Fear of stigma deters US soldiers from seeking help for mental health
Brief review of study conducted regarding military and stigma related behaviors.
Mental illness is not the same as incompetence: Voting rights, archaic laws, & stigmatizing language
Editorial article written by a registered nurse who provides some insight regarding the voting rights of individuals with mental illness.
The stigma scale: Development of a standardised measure of the stigma of mental illness
Provides an overview of the development of a standardised instrument to measure the stigma of mental illness.
Attitude of the university students and teachers towards mentally ill, in Lahore, Pakistan
This study was carried out to assess the attitude of university students and teachers in Lahore, Pakistan.
Stigma and psychiatric illness. A survey of attitude of medical students and doctors in Lahore, Pakistan.
This study was carried out to assess the attitude of medical students and doctors, attending medical colleges in Lahore, Pakistan.
Family heritage and depression guides: Family and peer views influence adolescent attitudes about depression
In this study, 15 adolescents were interviewed to examine how the views and behaviours of others influence teens' decisions about seeking care for depression.
Law & psychiatry: Slowing the revolving door: Community reentry of offenders with mental illness.
An article discussing the existing programs that help offenders with mental illnesses reenter