Mental health stigma among people of color: An examination of the impact of racial discrimination

Williston, Sarah Krill; Martinez, Jennifer H.; Abdullah, Tahirah

doi:10.1177/0020764019858651

Cited by 23 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 43 publications

(40 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In our own research using serial mediation (Hunter et al, 2017), we showed that self-stigma about one’s mental illness or addiction leads to psychiatric symptoms, including depression, that trigger coping responses to reduce self-stigma, such as withdrawal from social supports (Hunter et al, 2017). Building on these studies as well as previous research by Williston et al (2019), in the present study we hypothesize that exposure to race-related stress, operationalized as racial stigma, will trigger internalized self-stigma among adults with a behavioral health disorder (serious mental illness, 2 addiction, or both) to initiate a serial mediation process in which self-stigma leads to depressive symptoms and to increased barriers to help-seeking. Thus, we hypothesize that help-seeking barriers will increase through the serial effect of racial stigma, self-stigma, and depressive symptoms.…”

Section: Study Hypothesesmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…Gary (2005) first introduced the concept of double stigma as it pertains to help-seeking for persons of color with mental health problems. Williston et al (2019) then demonstrated an empirical relationship between racial discrimination and mental health selfstigma. In the present study, we build on this prior work by examining double stigma in relation to help-seeking barriers for behavioral health services in a sample of Black adults with a behavioral health disorder.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To date, only a few studies have examined empirically the intersection of racial and behavioral health stigma, and only one has explicitly examined race and mental health stigma. Williston et al (2019), in a study of Black adults, found that race-related stressors trigger self-stigma. However, that study did not examine whether double stigma is related to help-seeking.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Double stigma and help-seeking barriers among Blacks with a behavioral health disorder.

Yu¹,

Matlin²,

Crusto³

et al. 2022

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective: There is considerable evidence that racial stigma and stigma due to mental illness or addiction are each independently a barrier to help-seeking for Black adults. The present study examines empirically the "double stigma" of discrimination, marginalization, and exclusion due both to a behavioral health disorder and to race among Black adults. Method: Interviews were conducted with 176 Black adults with a diagnosed behavioral health disorder-a mental health disorder (mental illness), a substance abuse disorder (addiction), or both-who enrolled in behavioral health treatment in a northeastern U.S. city. Measures assessed racial stigma, self-stigma due to mental illness or addiction, depressive symptoms, and helpseeking barriers. Serial mediation analyses were conducted to examine hypothesized relationships among variables. Results: The results demonstrate the potential impact of double stigma on help-seeking among Black adults with a behavioral health disorder. Serial mediation analyses show that there is a significant positive relationship between racial stigma and help-seeking barriers, and this relationship is partially mediated by internalized self-stigma and depressive symptoms. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: This is the first study to show a serial mediation effect for double stigma among Black adults with a behavioral health disorder. The results build on previous research on stigma and race to illustrate how experiences of racial stigma are integral to understanding how mental illness or addiction intersect with depressive symptoms and help-seeking behavior. Implications are discussed for research and practice to reduce help-seeking barriers for adults who experience double stigma. Impact and ImplicationsBlack adults with a mental illness or addiction experience barriers to seeking help for their disorder because of internalized self-stigma and racial stigma, a combination known as "double stigma." We describe processes underlying the relationship of double stigma to help-seeking and discuss practice implications for counteracting double stigma.

show abstract

Section: Study Hypothesesmentioning

confidence: 81%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Double stigma and help-seeking barriers among Blacks with a behavioral health disorder.

Yu¹,

Matlin²,

Crusto³

et al. 2022

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Expanding services offered through online video-guided groups would provide greater accessibility to those who may not traditionally have access mental health resources due to lack of transportation, childcare needs, rurality, or being housebound. Further, people of color, males, and veterans may be deterred from physically accessing mental health services due to societal stigma (Williston et al, 2019). Offering mindfulness interventions through an online platform could alleviate barriers traditionally experienced by populations needing care.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Video-Guided Group vs. Solitary Meditation on Mindfulness and Social Connectivity: A Pilot Study

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Interest in mindfulness meditation continues to grow as accumulating evidence suggests mindfulness training encourages more positive functioning. However, basic questions about the conditions best suited for realizing mindful states remain unanswered. Prominent among these is whether a group mindfulness practice setting is more effective for novice meditators than a solitary practice setting. Answering this question has assumed new urgency due to the imposition of physical distancing measures designed to stop the spread of COVID-19. In a time of limited social contact, is a simulated group practice setting better than practicing alone? This preliminary study investigated whether environmental setting impacted mindfulness practice experience by examining the effects of three simulated meditation practice environments (1. group practice, 2. nature practice, and 3. solitary practice) on state mindfulness and perceived social connectivity in a sample of novice meditators. Significant differences emerged across the three simulated practice settings. Findings suggest watching others meditate while meditating appears to most effectively induce a state of mindfulness and strengthen feelings of social connectivity. This study supports traditional beliefs about the benefits of group mindfulness practice. These findings also have implications for social workers struggling to stretch limited resources to address growing mental health demands, especially during times of heightened social isolation due to COVID-19. If a simulated group practice confers the same cognitive benefits as solitary practice while also conferring social benefits, simulated group instruction may be preferable for therapeutic and economic reasons.

show abstract

“…There are several models of racial identity development that can support the psychologist in both navigating their own racial identity development and that of their clients. However, the psychologist is cautioned to ensure identity development is of interest to the client, as historically mental health professionals have pathologized deviations from hegemonic North American culture (Krill Williston et al, 2019). Furthermore, it should be noted that identity models often miss nuances of various intersections of various identities.…”

Section: Best Practices For Collaboration With Clients: Covid-19 Rele...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Best practice recommendations for psychologists working with marginalized populations impacted by COVID-19.

Meyer¹,

Young²

2021

Professional Psychology: Research and Practice

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The impacts of this pandemic have not been felt equally. The current pandemic has aggravated preexisting prejudices and shed light on long-standing social, economic, and health inequities that have been and continue to be perpetuated by systems of oppression. Psychologists are in a unique position to collaboratively work with marginalized individuals navigating pandemic threat, discrimination, and oppressive systems. This paper presents best practice recommendations for U.S.-based psychologists working with marginalized populations impacted by COVID-19. Psychologists are encouraged to synchronously develop the following three areas of evidence-based practice, as they relate to the impacts of COVID-19: (a) selfreflection and self-awareness in a COVID-19 context (i.e., reflecting on one's identities and one's knowledge and attitudes toward sociohistorical inequities), (b) knowledge acquisition (i.e., adopting an attitude of cultural humility, identifying "emotional contagion," identifying impacts of systemic injustice that may be compounded by COVID-19, and recognizing racial trauma in clients of color), and (c) collaboration with clients (i.e., identify the mental health toll of oppressive systems, explore COVID-19 relevant and culturally responsive methods of healing, encourage virtual community engagement, and incorporate ethnic and racial identity development in personal and professional work). Engaging with these best practice recommendations should result in the psychologist's improved ability to identify and address the consequences of systemic oppression that have been highlighted and exacerbated by COVID-19 on their own behavior and their clients' mental health. Furthermore, psychologists engaged with these best practice recommendations should find themselves better prepared to utilize culturally responsive interventions despite barriers created by COVID-19. Public Significance StatementThis paper presents best practice recommendations for psychologists working with marginalized clients that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These concrete best practice recommendations emphasize self-reflection, education regarding how the pandemic has further marginalized clients, and evidence-based culturally responsive psychological intervention that are also responsive to the impacts of COVID-19.

show abstract

Mental health stigma among people of color: An examination of the impact of racial discrimination

Cited by 23 publications

References 43 publications

Double stigma and help-seeking barriers among Blacks with a behavioral health disorder.

Double stigma and help-seeking barriers among Blacks with a behavioral health disorder.

Effects of Video-Guided Group vs. Solitary Meditation on Mindfulness and Social Connectivity: A Pilot Study

Best practice recommendations for psychologists working with marginalized populations impacted by COVID-19.

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About