1. Self-perception of Stigmatization of People with Affective Disorders
Mirta Vranko,1 Dolores Novak, 1 Irena Velimirović, 2 Petrana Brečić1 1University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče, 2Center for rehabilitation Zagreb
INTRODUCTION
Previous studies suggest unambiguous stigma of mental disorders, as well as the fact that a different number of socio-cultural community has prejudices and negative attitudes towards people with mental health problems. In both, developed and underdeveloped, countries stigmatized people feel trapped between feelings of shame and guilt and rejection of the community. A key aspect of stigmatization is the experience of people with mental disorders who are considered dangerous and, therefore, other people avoid contact with them. The stigmatization has negative consequences for ill person, but also much wider. Specifically, the belief that mental illness is hereditary, sometimes the whole family suffers stigmatization of other people. The stigmatization of people with mental illness in social relations leads to discrimination, disdain, contempt, underestimating, isolation and misunderstanding.
RESULTS
Stigmatization scale was used (Dinos et al., 2004). The scale consists of 28 variables that are divided into the following categories: 13 variables refer to discrimination (perceived hostility by others or lost opportunities because of prejudiced attitudes), 5 variables refer to positive aspects (becoming a more understanding or accepting person) and 10 variables are related to disclosure about mental illness. Part of the variableswas formulated in a positive direction so that a higher score indicates a higher degree of discrimination, while other part of variables was formulated in the negative direction. The total score represents the sum of the answers on all the variables. Before calculating the total score, the variables were recoded so that a higher total score indicates a higher stigmatization.
TABLE 2
Discrimination
Disclosure
Positive aspects
Overall stigma
,834**
,307** /
,475**
,065
,197*
Positive apsects
THE RESEARCH
The research was conducted in the period from February 2017 to April 2017 at the a University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče, Department of Affective Disorders. The data will be collected anonymously, in accordance with the Principles of the Code of Ethics under the Protection of Persons with Mental Disorders.
Respondents were enrolled in different forms of treatment: outpatient treatment, daily hospital and hospital treatment. The research involved 127 respondents, of which 74% were female subjects, and 26% were male subjects. Average age of respondents is (M = 48.39, Sd = ). The majority of respondents were hospitalized (50.4%), followed by a daily hospital program (26.8%) and outpatient treatment (22.8%). Cronbach Alpha is ,830 from which we conclude that the scale has a good internal validity. Most of the subjects are treated with depressive disorder (58.3%), followed by anxiety-depressive disorder (16.5%), psychosis (8.7%), ptsp (7.1%), and an organic affective disorder and personality disorder with (4.7%). As far as the place of residence is concerned, most of the respondents live in the city (66.9%), the smallest part of the respondents live in a village (22%) and finally in the suburban village (8.7%). Half of the respondents are employed (50.4%), while 46.7% of respondents state they are not working.
Pearson correlation coefficient was used to measure correlation. The correlation test results point to the fact that respondents who are exposed to stigma are exposed to its various shapes. There is a high positive correlation between total stigma and discrimination, 834 ** and overall stigma and disclosure **. The distinction between stigma in the form of actual and feared discrimination is noteworthy. Jacoby (1994) drew a distinction between 'felt and enacted‘ stigma. Bothmay occur, regardless of whether or not the person feels any sense of personalshame or inferiority. Enacted stigma can be described as episodes of discrimination against people with mental illness. The discriminationsub-scale contains items that refer to the negative reactions of other people, including acts of discrimination by health professionals, employers and police. It is important to point out that subscale positive aspects have lower correlations with other parts of the scale suggesting that people think that they are more empathetic to human beings because of their disease and are less affected by stigma.
TABLE 1 M Sd
Minimum possible result
Maximum possible result
Overall stigma
100.54
15.149 28
140
Discrimination
41.35
9.176 13 65
Disclosure
37.2
8.61 10 50
Positive aspects
20.08
2.28 5 25
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
Authors suggest further research of stigma and self-perception of the stigma of mentally ill, especially with the aim of de-stigmatization. Furthermore, further research could clarify the discrimination and self-perception of the stigma of mentally ill patients.
REFERENCES
Jacoby A (1994) Felt versus enacted stigma: a concept revisited. Evidence from a study of people with epilepsy in remission. Soc Sci Med 38: 269–274.
King M, Dinos S, Shaw J, Watson R, Stevens S, Passetti F, Weich S, Serfaty M. The Stigma Scale: development of a standardised measure of the stigma of mental illness. British Journal of Psychiatry 2007;190: