Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Sociodemographic and clinical factors related to devaluation/discrimination and rejection experiences among users of mental health services

  • ORIGINAL PAPER
  • Published:
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

A major goal in mental health research and policy is to identify ways to reduce stigma among persons with mental illness.

Aims

The aims of the present study were to (1) investigate the prevalence of rejection and devaluation/discrimination in a cross-sectional sample of 200 individuals with experiences of mental illness and (2) investigate the relationship between sociodemographic and clinical, client characteristics and perceived devaluation/discrimination and experiences of rejection.

Methods

A total of 200 subjects in current contact with mental health services or with earlier experiences of this were interviewed regarding beliefs about devaluation/discrimination and rejection experiences.

Results

The results showed that subjects with a higher degree of global functioning perceived less devaluation/discrimination. With regard to rejections experiences associations were found between rejection experiences and global functioning, number of admissions to inpatient psychiatric care and current contact with social services.

Conclusion

Further research should investigate the causal relationship between stigma experiences and psychosocial functioning. To understand what consequences perceived devaluation/discrimination has for the afflicted, a psychological and social approach in the research must be taken into consideration.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. American psychiatric Association (1987) Diagnostic and statistical manual for mental disorders (3rd ed, rev). APA, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  2. Andrews G, Henderson S, Hall W (2001) Prevalence, co-morbidity, disability and service utilization. Overview of the Australian National Mental Health Survey. Brit J Psychiat 178:145–153

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Angermeyer MC, Schulze B (2001) Reinforcing stereotypes: how the focus on forensic cases in news reporting may influences public attitudes towards the mentally ill. Int J Law Psychiat 24:469–486

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Angermeyer MC, Matschinger H (2005) Labeling-stereotype-discrimination. An investigation of the stigma process. Social Psychiatr and Psychiatr Epidemiol 40:391–395

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Björkman T, Svensson B, Lundberg B (2004) Experiences of stigma among people with severe mental illness. Reliability and construct validity of the Swedish versions of two stigma scales measuring devaluation/discrimination and rejection experiences. Nordic J Psychiat (In press)

  6. Bordieri J, Drehmer D (1986) Hiring Decisions for Disabled Workers: Looking at the Cause. J Appl Soc Psychol 16:197–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Byrne P (2001) Psychiatric stigma. Brit J Psychiat 178:281–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Crisp AH, Gelder AG, Rix S, Meltzer HI, Rowlands OJ (2000) Stigmatisation of people with mental illnesses. Brit J Psychiat 177:4–7

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Corrigan PW, Watson AC, Gracia G, Slopen N, Rasinski K, Hall LL (2005) Newspaper stories as measures of structural stigma. Psychiatr Serv 56:551–556

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Cutcliffe JR, Hannigan B (2001) Massmedia, ‘monsters’ and mental health clients: the need for increased lobbying. J Psychiatr ment Health Nurs 8:315–321

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Dickersson Faith B, Sommerville J, Origoni AE, Ringel NB, Parente F (2002) Experiences of stigma among outpatients with schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 28:143–155

    Google Scholar 

  12. Ertugul A, Ulug B (2004) Perception of stigma among patients with schizophrenia. Soc Psychiatr Epidemiol 39:73–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Farina A, Felner RD (1973) Employment interviewer reactions to former mental patients. J Abnorm Psychol 82:268–272

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Farina A (1998) Stigma. In: Mueser KT, Tarrier N (eds) Handbook of Social Functioning in schizophrenia. Allyn and Bacon, Needham Heights, pp 247–279

    Google Scholar 

  15. Link BG (1987) Understanding labeling effects in the area of mental disorders. An assessment of the effects of expectations of rejection. Am Soc Rev 52:96–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Link BG, Struening EL, Rahav M, Phelan JC, Nuttbrock L (1997) On stigma and its consequences: evidence from a longitudinal study of men with dual diagnoses of mental illness and substance abuse. J Health Soc Behav 38:177–190

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Link BG, Phelan JC (2001) Conceptualizing stigma. Annu Rev Sociol 27:363–385

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Page S (1977) Effects of the mental illness in attempts to obtain accommodation. Can J Behav Sci 9:193–199

    Google Scholar 

  19. Penn DL, Guyman K, Daily T, Spaulding WD, Garbin CP, Sullivan M (1994) Dispelling the stigma of schizophrenia: what sort of information is best? Schizophr Bullet 20:567–578

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Penn DL, Martin J (1998) The stigma of severe mental illness: some potential solutions for a recalcitrant problem. Psychiatr Quart 69:235–247

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Penn DL, Kohlmaier JR, Corrigan PW (2000) Interpersonal factors contributing to the stigma of schizophrenia: social skills, perceived attractiveness, and symptoms. Schizophr Res 45:37–45

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Piner KE, Kahle LR (1984) Adapting to the stigmatizing label of mental illness: Forgone but not forgotten. J Pers Soc Psychol 47:805–811

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Rosenfield S (1997) Labeling mental illness: the effects of received services and perceived stigma on life satisfaction. Am Sociol Rev 62:660–672

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Schulze B, Angermeyer MC (2003) Subjective experiences of stigma. A focus group study of schizophrenic patients, their relatives and mental professionals. Soc Sci Med 56:299–321

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Sirey JA, Bruce ML, Alexopoulus GS, Perlick DA, Raue P, Friedmann SJ, Meyers BS (2001) Perceived stigma as a predictor of treatment discontinuation in young and older outpatients with depression. Am J Psychiatr 158:479–481

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Thompson AH, Stuart H, Bland RC, Arboldea-Florez J, Warner R, Dickson RA (2002) Attitudes about schizophrenia from the pilot site of the WPA worldwide campaign against the stigma of schizophrenia. Social Psychiatr and Psychiatr Epidemiol 37:475–482

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Wahl OF (1999) Mental health consumers’ experience of stigma. Schizophr Bull 25:467–478

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. World Health Organization (1993) International statistical classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. World Health Organisation, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

The study was supported by grants from the Vardal Institute, Sweden.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Health Sciences, Division of Nursing, Lund University, PO Box 157, 22100, Lund, Sweden

    Bertil Lundberg RN, RNT, Lars Hansson PhD, Elisabeth Wentz MD & Tommy Björkman PhD

Authors
  1. Bertil Lundberg RN, RNT
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lars Hansson PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Elisabeth Wentz MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tommy Björkman PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bertil Lundberg RN, RNT.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lundberg, B., Hansson, L., Wentz, E. et al. Sociodemographic and clinical factors related to devaluation/discrimination and rejection experiences among users of mental health services. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 42, 295–300 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-007-0160-9

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-007-0160-9

Key words

Search

Navigation