Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T18:21:42.409Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Extent and predictors of stigma experienced by patients with schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

P. Świtaj ,
J. Wciórka ,
J. Smolarska-Świtaj  and
P. Grygiel
P. Świtaj*
Affiliation:
I Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Sobieskiego 9 02-957Warsaw, Poland
J. Wciórka
Affiliation:
I Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Sobieskiego 9 02-957Warsaw, Poland
J. Smolarska-Świtaj
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiology, Public Central Teaching Hospital Banacha 1a, 02-097Warsaw, Poland
P. Grygiel
Affiliation:
Institute of Sociology, University of Rzeszów, Rejtana 16c, 35-959Rzeszów, Poland
*
*Corresponding author. Tel.: +48 22 8424034; fax: +48 22 4582818. E-mail address:[email protected] (P. Świtaj).
Get access

Abstract

Background

Schizophrenia is regarded as one of the most stigmatized mental illnesses. Relatively few studies have investigated actual stigma experiences among people with schizophrenia and the factors which may contribute to it.

Aims

This cross-sectional study assesses the extent of stigma experienced by patients with schizophrenia and attempts to establish its clinical and sociodemographic predictors.

Methods

A total of 153 subjects with schizophrenia (62 outpatients and 91 inpatients) were evaluated with the use of the Stigma section of the Consumer Experiences of Stigma Questionnaire (CESQ) and several instruments measuring their subjective quality of life, social functioning and severity of psychiatric symptoms.

Results

Stigmatization experiences were common among respondents who most frequently reported having concealed their illness (86%), witnessed others saying offensive things about the mentally ill (69%), worried about being viewed unfavorably (63%) and been treated as less competent (59%). Higher levels of stigma were related to lower subjective quality of life and younger age of illness onset. No significant associations were found between stigma and symptoms or level of social functioning.

Conclusion

Our findings point at the reduced life satisfaction as a key aspect of the subjective experience of the stigma of schizophrenia.

Keywords

StigmaSchizophreniaMental illnessQuality of lifeSocial functioningSymptoms
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 24 , Issue 8 , December 2009 , pp. 513 - 520
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Fourth edition. Text revision. Washington, DC: APA; 2000.Google Scholar
Angermeyer, MCDas Stigma psychischer Krankheit aus der Sicht der Patienten – Ein Überblick. Psychiatr Prax 2003;30:358–366Google Scholar
Angermeyer, MCMatschinger, HThe stereotype of schizophrenia and its impact on discrimination against people with schizophrenia: results from a representative survey in Germany. Schizophr Bull 2004;30:1049–1061CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baker, FIntagliata, JQuality of life in the evaluation of community support systems. Eval Program Plann 1982;5:69–79CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Corten, PMercier, CPelc, ISubjective quality of life: clinical model for assessment of rehabilitation treatment in psychiatry. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1994;29:178–183Google Scholar
Crisp, AHGelder, MGRix, SMeltzer, HIRowlands, OJStigmatisation of people with mental illnesses. Br J Psychiatry 2000;177:4–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dickerson, FBSommerville, JOrigoni, AERingel, NBParente, FExperiences of stigma among outpatients with schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 2002;28:143–155CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ertugrul, AUluğ, BPerception of stigma among patients with schizophrenia. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2004;39:73–77CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Falk, GStigma: how we treat outsiders 2001 Prometheus Books Amherst, New YorkGoogle Scholar
Farina A. Stigma. In: Mueser KT, Tarrier N, editors. Handbook of social functioning in schizophrenia. Needham Heights: Allyn & Bacon; 1998. p. 247–79.Google Scholar
Kay, SROpler, LAFiszbein, APositive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Rating manual San RafaelSocial and Behavioral Science Documents 1987Google Scholar
Lee, SThe stigma of schizophrenia: a transcultural problem. Curr Opin Psychiatry 2002;15:37–41CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Link, BGUnderstanding labeling effects in the area of mental disorders: an assessment of the effects of expectations of rejection. Am Sociol Rev 1987;52:96–112CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Link, BGCullen, FTStruening, EShrout, PEDohrenwend, BPA modified labeling theory approach to mental disorders: an empirical assessment. Am Sociol Rev 1989;54:400–423CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Link, BGMirotznik, JCullen, FTThe effectiveness of stigma coping orientations: can negative consequences of mental illness labeling be avoided?. J Health Soc Behav 1991;32:302–320CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Link, BGStruening, ELNeese-Todd, SAsmussen, SPhelan, JCThe consequences of stigma for the self-esteem of people with mental illnesses. Psychiatr Serv 2001;52:1621–1626CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Link, BGStruening, ELRahav, MPhelan, JCNuttbrock, LOn stigma and its consequences: evidence from a longitudinal study on men with dual diagnoses of mental illness and substance abuse. J Health Soc Behav 1997;38:177–190CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Link, BGYang, LHPhelan, JCCollins, PYMeasuring mental illness stigma. Schizophr Bull 2004;30:511–541CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lundberg, BHansson, LWentz, EBjörkman, TSociodemographic and clinical factors related to devaluation/discrimination and rejection experiences among users of mental health services. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2007;42:295–300CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lysaker, PHDavis, LWWarman, DMStrasburger, ABeattie, NStigma, social function and symptoms in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: associations across 6 months. Psychiatry Res 2007;149:89–95CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lysaker, PHRoe, DYanos, PTToward understanding the insight paradox: internalized stigma moderates the association between insight and social functioning, hope and self-esteem among people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Schizophr Bull 2007;33:192–199CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Overall, JEGorham, DRThe Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Psychol Rep 1962;10:799–812CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Penn, DLKohlmaier, JRCorrigan, PWInterpersonal factors contributing to the stigma of schizophrenia: social skills, perceived attractiveness and symptoms. Schizophr Res 2000;45:37–45CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rabkin JG. Determinants of public attitudes about mental illness: summary of the research literature. In: Rabkin JG, Gelb L, Lazar JB, editors. Attitudes toward the mentally ill: research perspectives. Report of an NIMH Workshop, January 24-25, 1980. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office; 1980. p. 15–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosenfield, SLabeling mental illness: the effects of received services and perceived stigma on life satisfaction. Am Sociol Rev 1997;62:660–672CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rüsch, NAngermeyer, MCCorrigan, PWMental illness stigma: concepts, consequences, and initiatives to reduce stigma. Eur Psychiatry 2005;20:529–539CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sajatovic, MJenkins, JHIs antipsychotic medication stigmatizing for people with mental illness?. Int Rev Psychiatry 2007;19:107–112CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sartorius, NIntroduction: stigma and discrimination against older people with mental illness. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2003;18:669CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sartorius, NSchulze, HReducing the stigma of mental illness. A report from a global programme of the World Psychiatric Association CambridgeCambridge University Press 2005CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sirey, JABruce, MLAlexopoulos, GSPerlick, DAFriedman, SJMeyers, BSPerceived stigma and patient-rated severity of illness as predictors of antidepressant drug adherence. Psychiatr Serv 2001;52:1615–1620CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smart, LWegner, DMCovering up what can’t be seen: concealable stigma and mental control. J Pers Soc Psychol 1999;77:474–486CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Süllwold, LHerrlich, JFrankfurter Befindlichkeits-Skala (FBS) BerlinSpringer 1987CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thornicroft, GBrohan, ERose, DSartorius, NLeese, Mfor the INDIGO Study Group Global pattern of experienced and anticipated discrimination against people with schizophrenia: a cross-sectional survey. Lancet 2009;373:408–415CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wahl, OFMental health consumers’ experience of stigma. Schizophr Bull 1999;25:467–478CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wciórka, JAnczewska, MBembenek, AGołębiewska, MHochlewicz, ANurowska, Ket al.Clinical Assessment of Schizophrenic Syndromes (CASS) – rationale, construction, reliability and sensitivity evaluation, and an attempt at normalisation of the new diagnostic tool. Psychiatr Pol 2000;34:179–201 [article in Polish]Google Scholar
Wciórka, JAnczewska, MBembenek, AGołębiewska, MHochlewicz, ANurowska, Ket al.Clinical Assessment of Schizophrenic Syndromes (CASS) – validity evaluation of the new diagnostic tool. Psychiatr Pol 2000;34:203–221 [article in Polish]Google ScholarPubMed
Wciórka, JBembenek, ABożyk, DBudyta, BHintze, BKasprzak, Met al.Self-rated mental status in schizophrenia: usefulness of an abbreviated version of the Frankfurter Befindlichkeits-Skala. Post Psychiatr Neurol 2003;12:311–321 [article in Polish]Google Scholar
Wciórka, JDymecka-Kühn, ASchaeffer, ESelf-rating of mental state in schizophrenia: usefulness of an abbreviated version of the Paranoid-Depresivitäts-Skala. Post Psychiatr Neurol 2003;12:323–333 [article in Polish]Google Scholar
Wciórka, BWciórka, JStereotype and distance – mental illness and mentally ill persons in the opinions of Polish society (1996 and 1999). Post Psychiatr Neurol 2000;9:353–382 [article in Polish]Google Scholar
Wciórka, BWciórka, JPublic opinion poll: social perception of mental illness and the mentally ill in the year 2005. Post Psychiatr Neurol 2006;15:255–267 [article in Polish]Google Scholar
von Zerssen, DKoeller, DMKlinische Selbstbeurteilungsskalen (KSb-S) aus dem Münchener Psychiatrischen Informationssystem (PSYCHIS München) Manuale. WeinheimBeltz 1976Google Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.