Abstract
Objectives
The present study examined the relations of mindfulness with stigma stress and well-being among individuals with mental disorders. Specifically, this study tested whether mindfulness would be associated with lower levels of stigma stress and, in turn, higher levels of well-being. We hypothesized that mindfulness would be linked to lower levels of stigma stress through decreased negative rumination and increased positive reappraisal. We also hypothesized that lower levels of stigma stress would be linked to higher levels of well-being through reduced self-stigma content and reduced self-stigma process.
Method
This study utilized a cross-sectional design. A total of 210 individuals with mental disorders completed questionnaire measures of mindfulness, negative rumination, positive reappraisal, stigma stress, self-stigma content, self-stigma process, and well-being. The interrelations among these variables were examined with factor score path analyses and bootstrap analyses.
Results
Higher mindfulness was linked to lower negative rumination and higher positive reappraisal, which were, in turn, linked to lower stigma stress. Moreover, lower stigma stress was linked to lower self-stigma content and lower self-stigma process, which were, in turn, linked to higher well-being.
Conclusions
Our findings reveal the associations of mindfulness with stigma stress and well-being among individuals with mental disorders. Specifically, our findings show that individuals with mental disorders who are more mindful may experience lower stigma stress and have better well-being.
Preregistration
This study is not preregistered.
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Data Availability
Data used in this study are available at the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/tdjsc/).
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Acknowledgements
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the following non-governmental organizations (in alphabetical order) for facilitating us in recruiting eligible participants from their service users: Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service; Christian Oi Hip Fellowship Limited; New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association; The Mental Health Association of Hong Kong; and The Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention.
Funding
This study was funded by the Early Career Scheme of the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (Project Number: 28611515).
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Zixin Wang: Conceptualization, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Project administration. Charles Chiu Hung Yip: Conceptualization, Data curation, Writing – review & editing, Project administration. Donald Chi Kin Leung: Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing. Kevin Ka Shing Chan: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Funding acquisition.
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Wang, Z., Yip, C.C.H., Leung, D.C.K. et al. The Impact of Mindfulness on Stigma Stress and Well-Being Among Individuals with Mental Disorders. Mindfulness 14, 808–817 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02111-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02111-w