scholarly journals Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness and Its Relation with Self- Esteem and Social Support among Psychiatric Patients

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Amany A. Mohamed

Context: Mentally ill patients challenging dual difficulties that are illness and stigma. Internalized stigma viewed as maladaptive psychosocial phenomena that can affect all aspects of mentally ill patient life. Aim: The current study emerged aiming to assess internalized stigma of mental illness and its relation with self-esteem and social support among psychiatric patients. Methods: Descriptive research design used to achieve the aim of this study. A convenience sample of one hundred hospitalized psychiatric patients recruited for the study from inpatient units of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Hospital in Minia governorate. The data collection tools included socio-demographic and clinical data questionnaire, Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale, Rosenberg's Self Esteem Scale, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Results: The findings show that less than half of patients have a severe level of total internalized stigma score. There is a highly significant correlation between overall internalized stigma score and its all subscales with self-esteem and social support. Conclusions: Internalized stigma level was high among psychiatric patients. A significant negative correlation found between total internalized stigma score with self-esteem and social support of the studied patients. The study recommended further studies regarding educational interventions to raise awareness and decrease internalized stigma among patient with mental illness. Besides, providing support for patient and families of mentally ill patients to promote their capacity to manage and cope with stigma. 

2004 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 371-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna S. Bromley ◽  
Sara J. Cunningham

Aims and MethodA structured interview-based questionnaire was used to measure the number of cards and gifts received by 40 people undergoing psychiatric in-patient treatment, compared with an age- and gender-matched group of medical in-patients. The study also assessed the amount of disclosure of admission and diagnosis to family and friends in the two groups.ResultsThe psychiatric patients received about half as many cards as the medical patients (60 v. 112). Gifts to the psychiatric patients were often practical in nature and seldom included luxury items such as flowers. Disclosure of admission for mental illness (compared with the physical illness group) was significantly lower, both to family members (139 v. 193, P=0.041) and friends (74 v. 332, P=0.0001).Clinical ImplicationsThe stigma of mental illness is reflected in the secrecy surrounding disclosure of hospital admission and the lack of tokens of support. Clinicians should be aware of the resulting sense of isolation and shame, and the consequences for mental health in view of reduced social networks increasing the risk of future relapse rates. Reduced contact with mentally ill patients has implications for society as a whole in maintaining the status quo of stigma.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Elias Tesfaye ◽  
Chalachew Kassaw ◽  
Liyew Agenagnew

Background. Stigma resistance is described as the capacity to counteract or remain unaffected by the stigma of mental illness. Patients who have high stigma resistance have shown good treatment outcome, so working on this issue is crucial since little is known about the stigma resistance level among patients with mood disorders. Objectives. To determine the magnitude and determinant factors of stigma resistance among patients with mood disorder attending at St. Paul’s Hospital. Methods. A cross-sectional study design was conducted on 238 study samples, and systematic random sampling was used to get the study participants. Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale was used to measure stigma resistance. Data was entered using EpiData 3.1 and exported to the Statistical Package for Social Science 22.0 for analysis. Linear regression analysis (P<0.05) was used to identify a significant association between the outcome and predictor variable. Results. Out of 238 study samples, 235 patients took part with a 99% response rate. The overall percentage of stigma resistance was 49.5%. Low educational status (B=−1.465, 95% CI (-2.796, -0.134), P≤0.031), disability (B=−0.064, 95% CI (-0.102, -0.026), P≤0.001), nonadherence due to stigma (B=−1.365, 95% CI (-2.151, -0.580), P≤0.001), duration of treatment (B=0.091, 95% CI (0.042, 0.141), P≤0.001), internalized stigma (B=−2.948, 95% CI (-3.642, -2.254), P≤0.001), and self-esteem (B=1.859, 95% CI (0.812, 2.906), P≤0.001) were significantly associated with stigma resistance. Conclusion. This study found that only half of the patients had stigma resistance. Low educational status, high self-stigma, low self-esteem, disability, and short duration of treatment were negatively associated with stigma resistance, so working on those modifiable identified factors with focal stakeholders will be crucial to promote the stigma resistance level of patients with mood disorder.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyoung Yul Lyu ◽  
Kyunghee Lee ◽  
Ivy Lynne Bejerano

We investigated the relationships among internalized stigma and insight, depression, and self-esteem with a convenience sample of 174 alcohol-dependent Korean men being treated in the alcoholic ward of a psychiatric hospital. Data were collected using the Korean version of the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory II and the Hanil Alcohol Insight Scale. Results showed a significant variation in internalized stigma in relation to age, employment status, and frequency of admission to hospital for treatment for alcohol dependence. The correlation between internalized stigma and insight was not significant but the correlation between depression and self-esteem was statistically significant. The results provide information for the formulating of relevant interventions to address depressive symptoms, improve self-esteem, and devise a plan to enable people with alcohol-related problems or alcohol dependence to have good access to community resources.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (01) ◽  
pp. 80-84
Author(s):  
Sandhya Shrestha

Background: There are an increasing number of studies on the subjective experience of stigma amongst mentally ill persons but still few coming from Asian countries, and very few from Nepal. The objective of this study was to look into the experience of internalized stigma in mentally ill persons in Pokhara, Nepal and to compare this with similar studies using ISMI fromother socio-cultural contexts.Methods: A total of 136 patients with mentally ill people attending OPD of Manipal Teaching Hospital, Nepal responded to the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale. This is a 29-item self-report questionnaire with good psychometric properties.Results: Among the participant, majority 69.1% were 18-39 years age and majority 60.3% were female. Half of the participant 51.5% experienced high level of internalized Stigma. Regarding coping strategies, 86% of the participant response they does not avoid telling the health care professionals that they had a history of mental illness, Most 87.5% response they does not avoid going out with friends after receiving psychiatric treatment. Most 83.1% response they attempt to correct their friends if they hold negative views on people with mental illness. Most 65.44% were having High Social Support with Mental illness.Conclusions: Study findings show half of the participants (51.5%) experienced high level of stigma and more than half of the participant (65.44%) were having high social support with mental illness.Keywords: Coping; internalized stigma; mental illness; social support.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-44
Author(s):  
Indri Jayanti ◽  
Fellianti Muzdalifah

The aim of this study is to analyze the influence internalized stigma on self-esteem in people with schizophrenia (outpatients) in Jakarta. The research was held in Komunitas Peduli Skizofrenia Indonesia, Puskesmas Tebet, and Klender Islamic Mental Hospital on November 2012. This research used quantitative ex-post facto research method. This research used incidental sampling. Collecting data used scale of internalization stigma which is adapted from ISMI (Internalization Stigma of Mental Illness) scale and self-esteem scale’s Rosenberg, were assessed among 42 outpatients who have schizophrenia. Statistical analysis obtainded using the Regression test. Based on the result of data analysis found that adjusted R square internalized stigma on self-esteem was 0,176 (17,6%), which means that influence internalized stigma to self-esteem was 17,6% and 82,4% influenced by others factors beyond self-esteem. This result showed that fluctuation of self-esteem in people with schizophrenia (outpatients) contrary to fluctuation of internalized stigma variable.


2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Ignatius Ukpong ◽  
Festus Abasiubong

<p><strong>Background.</strong> The burden of mental illness is particularly severe for people living in low-income countries. Negative attitudes towards the mentally ill, stigma experiences and discrimination constitute part of this disease burden.</p><p><strong>Objective.</strong> The aim of this study was to investigate knowledge of possible causes of mental illness and attitudes towards the mentally ill in a Nigerian university teaching hospital population.</p><p><strong>Method.</strong> A cross-sectional descriptive study of a convenience sample of 208 participants from the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Nigeria, using the Community Attitudes towards the Mentally Ill (CAMI) scale. Information was also obtained on beliefs about possible causes of mental illness. <strong></strong></p><p><strong>Results.</strong> The respondents held strongly negative views about the mentally ill, mostly being authoritarian and restrictive in their attitudes and placing emphasis on custodial care. Even though the respondents appeared to be knowledgeable about the possible role of psychosocial and genetic factors in the causation of mental illness, 52.0% of them believed that witches could be responsible, 44.2% thought mental illness could be due to possession by demons, and close to one-third (30%) felt that it could be a consequence of divine punishment.</p><p><strong>Conclusions.</strong> Stigma and discrimination against the mentally ill are widespread even in a population that is expected to be enlightened. The widespread belief in supernatural causation is likely to add to the difficulties of designing an effective anti-stigma psycho-educational programme. There is a need in Nigeria to develop strategies to change stigma attached to mental illness at both institutional and community levels.</p>


1985 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 251-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Franchot Weiss

Research on attitudes toward mental illness held by the public, by mental health professionals and personnel, and by psychiatric patients and their families is substantial. Little attention has been given to children's attitudes toward mental illness and the mentally ill, so this exploratory-descriptive study examined the developmental trends of children's attitudes toward the mentally ill. An adaptation of the Opinions About Mental Illness Scale was given to 512 elementary school age children who were placed in Grades 2, 4, 6, and 8. It was determined that with increasing grade/age children took a less authoritarian attitude toward the mentally ill and viewed mentally ill persons as more like themselves. Children rook an increasingly parernalistic view of the mentally ill, were less likely to see mental illness as an illness like any other, perceived mental patients as less of a threat to society and needing fewer restrictions. Finally, with increasing age/grade children perceived mental illness as less likely attributable to inadequate, deprived or interpersonal experiences. Results were discussed in terms of a relatively increased “positive attitude” and the relative acceptance and rejection of the mentally ill.


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