Previous research has demonstrated that the unemployed suffer increased psychological and physical health problems compared to their employed counterparts. Further, unemployment leads to an unwanted new social identity that is stigmatizing, and stigma is known to be a stressor causing psychological and physical health problems. However, it is not yet known whether being stigmatized as an unemployed group member is associated with psychological and physical health in this group. The current study tested the impact of anticipated stigma (AS) on psychological distress (PD) and physical health problems, operationalized as somatic symptoms (SSs), in a volunteer sample of unemployed people. Results revealed that AS had a direct effect on both PD and SSs, such that greater AS significantly predicted higher levels of both. Moreover, the direct effect on SSs became non-significant when PD was taken into account. Thus, to the extent that unemployed participants anticipated experiencing greater stigma, they also reported increased PD, and this PD predicted increased SSs. Our findings complement and extend the existing literature on the relationships between stigmatized identities, PD and physical health problems, particularly in relation to the unemployed group. This group is important to consider both theoretically, given the unwanted and transient nature of the identity compared to other stigmatized identities, but also practically, as the findings indicate a need to orient to the perceived valence of the unemployed identity and its effects on psychological and physical health.

Acne vulgaris has been associated with deficits in psychological well-being and health-related quality of life. Few studies have investigated how stigma contributes to our understanding of the well-being of acne sufferers, although it is clear that acne is stigmatized and stigmatization is associated with impaired well-being. The current study aimed to investigate the ability of perceived stigma to predict health-related quality of life, psychological distress, and somatic symptoms over and above established predictors. University students and staff suffering from acne completed self-report measures online. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that perceived stigma significantly contributed to the prediction of all three well-being measures, over and above the effects of gender, acne severity, acne location, and use of medication. Indeed, perceived stigma made the largest unique contribution to predicting well-being. Our findings suggest that interventions that attempt to counter stigma could also improve the overall well-being of people affected by acne.

Researchers have provided evidence that accessing abortion relates to anticipated, experienced, and internalized stigma. These aspects of stigma have previously been associated with increased psychological distress and physical health symptoms. However, there has been no research on how anticipation, perception, internalization, and stigma-related isolation are related to psychological distress and somatic (physical) symptoms. We examined this question in an online volunteer sample of women in Ireland (N = 155) who have had an abortion. Internalized stigma and stigma-related isolation significantly predicted higher levels of psychological distress, and internalized stigma also significantly predicted somatic symptoms. The direct effect of each type of stigma on somatic symptoms was mediated by psychological distress. Thus, to the extent that women had internalized greater stigma and isolated themselves, they also reported increased psychological distress, and this psychological distress predicted increased somatic symptoms. The relation between internalized stigma and somatic symptoms was also moderated by stigma-related isolation. Our findings complement and extend the existing literature on the relations between stigmatized identities, psychological distress, and physical health problems, particularly regarding women who have accessed abortion. They also indicate that those involved in policy-making and activism around reproductive rights should avoid inadvertently increasing the stigma surrounding abortion.Keywords: stigma, abortion (attitudes towards), distress, physical health, somatization ABORTION STIGMA AND WOMEN'S HEALTH 3 Internalized Stigma and Stigma-Related Isolation Predict Women's Psychological Distress and Physical Health Symptoms Post-Abortion Unwanted pregnancy happens: Around the world, 41% of all pregnancies are unplanned (Singh, Sedgh, & Hussain, 2010). Although some of these pregnancies are voluntarily continued, in other cases people want and need to access abortion services. Indeed, abortion is one of the most common gynecological procedures, experienced by 81 women around the world every minute (Kumar, Hessini, & Mitchell, 2009). Despite the prevalence of abortion, it is sometimes assumed that accessing abortion negatively affects women's well-being, as evidenced by the creation of a supposed "post-abortion syndrome" (PAS), based on the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (Reardon, 1987). Hopkins, Reicher, and Saleem (1996), however, claim this supposed syndrome was identified by those with an anti-abortion agenda, and argue that it is used to restrict abortion access (see also Beynon-Jones, 2017). In line with this, evidence demonstrates no consistent effect of abortion on women's well-being (American Psychological Association, 2008; Hanschmidt, Linde, Hilbert, Riedel-Heller, & Kersting, 2016; Major, Appelbaum, Beckman, Dutton, Russo, & West, 2009;Rubin & Russo, 2004).The empirical literature suggests that it is the stigmatization of abortion that may lead women...

Exposure to parental intimate partner violence (parental IPV) is a complex trauma. Research within social psychology establishes that identification with social groups impacts positively on how we appraise, respond to and recover from traumatic events. IPV is also a highly stigmatized social phenomenon and social isolation is a major factor for families affected by IPV, yet strong identification with the family group may act as a beneficial psychological resource to young people who grew up in homes affected by IPV. The current study, an online survey of 355 students (M age = 20, 70% female), investigated if a psychosocial process, specifically identification with the family, may influence the relationship between the predictor, exposure to parental IPV, and outcomes, global self-esteem and state anxiety. Mediation analysis suggests that identification with the family has a positive influence on the relationship between exposure to parental IPV and psychological outcomes; exposure to parental IPV results in reduced family identification, but when family identification is strong it results in both reduced anxiety and increased self-esteem for young people. The findings highlight the importance of having a strong sense of belonging to the extended family for young people who were exposed to parental IPV, thus has implications for prevention, intervention, and social policy.

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the temporal prevalence of overweight and obesity in Irish children through different methodologies and evaluate the change in rates between 1990 and 2019. Design: Anthropometric data from three Irish national food consumption surveys were used to examine the change in the prevalence of BMI and waist circumference-derived overweight and obesity levels. Setting: Three cross-sectional food consumption surveys from the Republic of Ireland: the Irish National Nutrition Survey (1990), the National Children’s Food Survey (2005) and The Second National Children’s Food Survey (2019). Participants: A demographically representative sample of Irish children aged 5–12 years: 1990 (n 148), 2005 (n 594) and 2019 (n 596). Results: Twelve percentage of children had overweight/obesity in 1990, which was significantly higher in 2005 at 25 % and significantly lower in 2019 at 16 % (P = 0·003). In 2019, more girls had overweight/obesity in comparison with boys (19 v. 14 %), whilst children from the lowest social class group had the highest levels of overweight/obesity (P = 0·019). Overall, the proportion of children with abdominal overweight/obesity was significantly lower in 2019 in comparison with 2005 (P ≤ 0·001). Conclusions: Evidence from the most recent national survey suggests that overweight and obesity levels are plateauing and in some cases reducing in children in Ireland. Despite this, rates remain high, with the highest prevalence in 2019 observed in girls and in those from the lowest social class group. Thus, overweight/obesity prevention and intervention policies are necessary and should be continued.