Stigma experienced by caregivers of patients with severe mental disorders: A nationwide multicentric study

Abstract

This study suggests that caregivers of patients with schizophrenia experience higher stigma than the caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder and recurrent depressive disorder. Higher stigma is associated with higher psychological morbidity in the caregivers. Therefore, the clinicians managing patients with severe mental disorders must focus on stigma and psychological distress among the caregivers and plan intervention strategies to reduce stigma.

Caregivers’ characteristics and family constellation variables as predictors of affiliate stigma in caregivers of children with ASD

“…A total score is generated by summing across 22 items (e.g., 'I feel helpless for having a family member with developmental disability, 'I avoid communicating with a family member having developmental disability') with higher scores reflecting greater affiliate stigma. The ASS showed 7 good internal consistency (α = .98) in other recent studies (Grover et al, 2017); this was also the case here (α = .93).…”

“…Selection of predictor variables was informed by studies involving other caregiving populations that also explored how affiliate stigma might be differentially affected by caregivers' characteristics and family factors (Grover et al, 2017;Koshorke et al, 2017;Singh et al, 2016;).…”

“…In particular, younger, female, non-earning caregivers, and caregivers of younger patients with greater disease severity, were more likely to report affiliate stigma. Caregivers of patients with longer treatment durations were also more likely to report affiliate stigma (Grover et al, 2017;Kim-Wan et al, 2016;Koshorke et al, 2014Koshorke et al, , 2017Singh et al, 2016;Thara et al, 2000;Yin et al, 2014). These results however might not be generalised to caregivers of children with ASD, who not only commence with the caretaking role much earlier, but also can expect it to last considerably longer (Greenberg et al, 2004).…”

Experience of stigma among family members of people with severe mental illness: A qualitative systematic review

“…In another survey in New York, ~43% of the investigated caregivers of people with mental illness expressed a belief that most people devalued their families (Struening et al ). According to previous studies, stigma is consistently associated with higher psychological distress among the caregivers of people with severe mental illnesses (Grover et al, ; Perlick et al, ). In the present review, psychological distress and burden were also apparent among family members.…”

“…Surveys have shown that family members (including parents, siblings, spouses, and children) of people with severe mental illness report significant experiences of courtesy stigma. A certain number of family members reported they were stigmatized by the public, and prejudice, blame, avoidance, rejection, and discrimination were directed towards them (Angermeyer et al 2003;Corrigan & Miller 2004;Dinos et al 2004;Grover et al, 2017;Perlick et al, 2007;Phelan et al 1998;Struening et al 2001). Stigma experienced by family members leads to an array of negative consequences, including withdrawal from social relationships, low self-esteem, reduced quality of life, long-term stress and burden, and so on (Allerby et al, 2015;Angermeyer et al 2003;O'Grady 2004;Perlick et al, 2007;Zhang et al, 2018).…”