Stigma and the Sexual Isolation of People with Serious Mental Illness

Wright, Eric R.; Wright, Dustin E.; Perry, Brea L.; Foote-Ardah, Carrie E.

doi:10.1525/sp.2007.54.1.78

Cited by 76 publications

(75 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…We developed this instrument using a theoretical 3-factor model corresponding to the stigma mechanisms described by Link and Phelan 20 but this factoral structure was not previously investigated 6,7 . Our results indicated that 31 of the initial 33 items analyzed load on 9 factors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Psychiatric patients continue to be stigmatized 2,3 and experience detrimental effects and discrimination in multiple systems (e.g., education, housing, work-force, health, mental health, judicial) and in their social networks 3,4 . Evidence suggests that labeling someone with mental illness influences sexuality and sexual behaviors as a contributor either to social and sexual isolation 5,6 or to increased sexual risk behaviors [7][8][9] . Expectations of romantic and sexual rejection by the person labeled with mental illness can lead to reduced confidence, constricted social networks, depression, and low self-esteem 3,9-11 and may interfere with achieving full potential for recovery 12,13 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, ignoring the sexual lives of people in psychiatric care is not only inconsistent with recovery but contributes to adverse health outcomes, including the sharply elevated rates of HIV infection found among people with mental illness compared to the general population in most regions where rates have been examined 15,16 . Our investigation into mental illness sexual stigma originated with psychiatric outpatients in the U.S. 6,7 . It was explored through ethnographic and other developmental work in Brazil 9,17,18 , resulting in a questionnaire with good testretest reliability (k =.75) 17 , that has been used in a U.S. pilot study of adolescents with psychiatric disorders 19 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Validation of the Mental Illness Sexual Stigma Questionnaire (MISS-Q) in a sample of Brazilian adults in psychiatric care

Wainberg

Pala

Cournos

et al. 2017

J. bras. psiquiatr.

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Objective We evaluated the psychometric properties of a new instrument “Mental Illness Sexual Stigma Questionnaire” (MISS-Q). Methods We interviewed 641 sexually active adults (ages 18-80) attending public outpatient psychiatric clinics in Rio de Janeiro about their stigma experiences. Results Nine factors were extracted through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and labeled: ‘individual discrimination by others’; ‘staff willingness to talk about sexuality’; ‘staff and family prohibitions’; ‘sexual devaluation of self’; ‘perceived attractiveness’; ‘mental illness concealment’; ‘perceived sexual role competence’; ‘withdrawal’; and ‘locus of social-sexual control’. ‘Withdrawal’ and ‘locus of social-sexual control’ showed poor psychometric properties and were excluded from further analysis. The remaining seven factors had high factorial loadings (.39 to .86), varying from sufficient to optimal reliability (Ordinal α ranged from .57 to .88), and good convergent and discriminant validity. Conclusions The resulting MISS-Q is the first instrument assessing mental illness sexual stigma with demonstrated psychometric properties. It may prove useful in reducing stigma, protecting sexual health, and promoting recovery.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Validation of the Mental Illness Sexual Stigma Questionnaire (MISS-Q) in a sample of Brazilian adults in psychiatric care

Wainberg

Pala

Cournos

et al. 2017

J. bras. psiquiatr.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…The connection has epidemiological importance because mental illness has important economic consequences for families given the high cost of treatment and patient control. Furthermore, because it is associated with labor disputes and loss of employment (Gianfrancesco, Wang & Yu, 2005) as well as with the deterioration of couple relationships (Wright, Wright, Perry & Foote-Ardah, 2007).…”

Section: Effects Of Poverty and Indigencementioning

confidence: 99%

“…For people with SMI, the perception of the stigma of mental illness has been related to the development of restrictions to their sexual expression by feeling physically devaluated or undesirable (Wright et al, 2007). There are studies showing a significant association between such perception and the risk of contracting HIV when people with SMI are sexually active.…”

Section: Effects Of Social Stigmamentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors associated with HIV transmission risk in people with a severe mental illness. A narrative review

Galarza‐Tejada

Caballero-Hoyos

Lira

2017

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Background. People with a severe mental illness (SMI) are a highly vulnerable group for the transmission risk of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). They have a higher seroprevalence compared with the general population and their life expectancy is shorter than those of people without the disease. This narrative review describes individual factors or those inherent to a person's characteristics and the sociocultural factors conditioning sexual behaviour and prevention norms. Objective. The purpose of this narrative review is to describe individual and sociocultural factors associated with the risk of HIV in people with a severe mental illness. Method. 82 empirical studies published between 1981 and 2015, addressing HIV transmission risk factors and sociocultural dimensions related to vulnerability were selected. Four indexes were used for this purpose: ISI Web of Knowledge, Redalyc, SciELO, and PUBMED; and four multidisciplinary electronic databases: Ebscohost Web, ProQuest, Sage Publications and ScienceDirect. Results. The analysis based on coding and systematic categorization shows that people with SMI are more vulnerable to risk than the general population, with differentials based on the severity of the disease symptomatology and economic and sociocultural characteristics associated with HIV-related risk practices. Discussion and conclusion. The need to design longitudinal studies with mixed methodology is proposed to attain a deeper understanding of the interaction of factors associated and processes conditioning risk. In this population group, structural preventive programs that take into account social and gender inequality must be implemented.

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