Suchergebnisse

Written-Off tells the story of how mental health stigma comes to have a profound impact on the lives of people diagnosed with mental illnesses. It reviews theory, research, and history - illustrated with a multitude of personal stories - in four major areas. These areas are: the prevalence and predictors of negative attitudes and behaviors toward mental illness, the impact of community attitudes and behaviors on the self-perceptions of people diagnosed with mental illness, the impact of self-perceptions on the community participation of people diagnosed with mental illness, and how to change self-perceptions through a variety of approaches

Background: Preventive coping refers to efforts that are taken to reduce the likelihood of experiencing, or lessen the impact of, stress in the future. Aims: The present investigation explored the use of preventive strategies in daily life among people with severe mental illness, and examined the association between types of preventive strategies used and end-of-day mood. Methods: Participants included 27 adults diagnosed with severe mental illness who completed up to 20 daily interviews each (375 interviews were completed in total), which assessed preventive coping and end-of-day mood. Results: The most commonly (across participants) and frequently (within participant days) endorsed preventive strategies were accessing social support and engaging in activities/hobbies. Participants tended to have less positive mood at end-of-day on days in which either no, or more passive, strategies were used. Conclusions: Findings supported that preventive strategies are frequently used by members of this population, and that accessing social support and engaging in activities/hobbies are the most frequently used preventive strategies. Findings also suggest that the use of no or more passive preventive strategies was associated with less positive mood at end of day.

Background: Previous research has associated self-reported political conservatism to mental health stigma. Although the limitations of self-reported political attitudes are well documented, no study has evaluated this relationship from a more nuanced perspective of sociopolitical identity. Aims: To assess the relationship between political attitudes and mental health stigma (i.e. negative stereotypes and intended social distance), particularly from a standpoint of Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) – a more specific measure of political conservatism. Method: A sample of 505 New York State residents completed an online survey. Results: The results of this study indicated significant relationships between endorsements of self-reported conservatism and RWA to negative stereotypes and social distance in relation to mental illness. Individuals with 'High RWA' were more likely to see individuals with mental illness as dangerous and unpredictable, and less willing to want to socially associate with individuals with mental illness. These results remained statistically significant even when controlling for other factors that consistently predict mental health stigma. Negative stereotypes also partially mediated individuals with RWA's significant relationship to social distance. Conclusion: Characteristics of political conservatives and right-wing authoritarians (e.g. threat-aversion, personal responsibility) are predictive of mental health stigma. Terror Management Theory may also help to explain this phenomenon.

While studies indicate that stigmatizing attitudes persist in the general public, individual and neighborhood level factors that are associated with increased likelihood of holding stigmatizing attitudes have been seldom studied. This study examined the demographic and neighborhood correlates of stigmatizing attitudes among community members in New York State. Data were drawn from the Pulse of New York State Survey, a random-digit dial survey of 806 New York State residents. Variables studied included demographic information, the Attitudes Toward Mental Illness scale, and neighborhood disadvantage at the zip code level (using data on community characteristics from the 2000 and 2010 Census). Higher levels of completed education predicted less stigmatizing attitudes. Higher levels of neighborhood disadvantage predicted more stigmatizing attitudes with the 2000 Census, and obtained marginal significance within the 2010 Census. Political affiliation demonstrated the strongest relationship, with more conservative ideology predicting more stigmatizing attitudes. Results highlight the need to consider political affiliation and neighborhood disadvantage as target areas when planning interventions for reducing mental illness stigma.

Background: Mental health (MH) stigma is multidimensional and remains common in the United States and throughout the world. While sociopolitical attitudes such as right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) have emerged as strong predictors of some aspects of MH stigma, no study has assessed the relationship between RWA and multidimensional components of MH stigma, or linked this relationship to a theory of stigma. Aims: The association between RWA and multiple stigma outcomes, including stereotypes, attributions/negative affect, social distance, microaggressions and help-seeking self-stigma was assessed controlling for covariates, including education, age, social desirability, race/ethnicity, gender, geographic location and prior contact with mental illness. Method: A total of 518 US residents (from all geographic regions; convenience sample) completed an online survey. Results: Findings indicated that RWA was significantly associated with all MH stigma dimensions analyzed, even after controlling for covariates. A hypothesized mediator for this relationship, dangerous world beliefs, was not supported as a theoretical explanation. Conclusion: Right-wing authoritarianism predicts various dimensions of mental health stigma, but more research is needed to determine the theoretical underpinnings. These current findings may guide research in this area and be used to target a variety of conservative audiences for stigma reduction.