How people evaluate others with social anxiety disorder: A comparison to depression and general mental illness stigma.

Abstract

Despite the availability of effective interventions, most individuals with social anxiety disorder do not seek treatment. Given their fear of negative evaluation, socially anxious individuals might be especially susceptible to stigma concerns, a recognized barrier for mental health treatment. However, very little is known about the stigma specific to social anxiety disorder. In a design similar to Feldman and Crandall (2007), university undergraduate students read vignettes about target individuals with a generic mental illness label, major depressive disorder, and social anxiety disorder. Subjects rated each of 3 people in the vignettes on social distance and 17 dimensions including dangerousness, heritability and prevalence of the disorder, and gender ratio. Results indicated that being male and not having experience with mental health treatment was associated with somewhat greater preferred social distance. Multiple regression analyses revealed that being embarrassed by the disorder and dangerousness predicted social distance across all 3 vignettes. The vignette for social anxiety disorder had the most complex model and included work impairment, more common among women, and more avoidable. These results have implications for understanding the specific aspects of the stigma associated with social anxiety disorder. Public service messages to reduce stigma should focus on more accurate information about dangerousness and mental illness, given this is an established aspect of mental illness stigma. More nuanced messages about social anxiety might be best incorporated into the treatment referral process and as part of treatment.

The Values of Psychological Science: Student and Faculty Perspectives on Research Ethics

“…Unfortunately, people with depression often experience stigma. People may develop stigmatizing attitudes by believing myths such as "All people with mental disorders are dangerous" or "People with mental illness can just 'get over' their ailment" (Anderson, Jeon, Blenner, Wiener, & Hope, 2015).…”

“…Several factors contribute to social distancing (Lauber et al, 2004). For example, the perception of the depressed person being dangerous led representative samples to socially distance more frequently (Anderson et al, 2015;Liekens, Smiths, Laekeman, & Foulon, 2012;Marie & Miles, 2008).…”

Social anxiety following traumatic brain injury: an exploration of associated factors

“…Furthermore, fear of negative evaluation may mean that people with SA perceive or experience higher levels of stigma (Anderson, Jeon, Blenner, Wiener, & Hope, 2015;. People who are socially anxious may be rejected or perceived negatively, particularly if anxiety related behaviours (e.g., gripping hands together, avoiding eye contact) compound the anxiety symptoms or impair social performance .…”

“…Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association Anderson, K. N., Jeon, A. B., Blenner, J.…”

The Impact of Job Accommodations on Mental Health-Related Stigma

“…Furthermore, vignette studies of attitudes towards psychiatric illness reveal that participants are more likely to believe that most other people desire social distance (e.g., would not want to have the person as a friend or employee) from a person with major depressive disorder (Angermeyer, Matschinger, Carta, & Schomerus, 2014). In addition, although effects are generally found to be stronger for schizophrenia, desire for social distance from depressed and anxious individuals continues to be prominent (Anderson, Jeon, Blenner, Wiener, & Hope, 2015) and appears to increase with participant age (Schomerus et al, 2015). Finally, qualitative research focused on the experience of stigma reveals that people with depressive disorders commonly report losing friends, family, and coworkers who do not believe the illness is real (Krupa et al, 2009) or who fear violent and dangerous behaviour (Parliament of Canada, 2006).…”