Stigma towards individuals who self harm: impact of gender and disclosure

Abstract

Purpose Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is reasonably common, particularly among young people with prevalence rates of up to 25 per cent reported. Many factors contribute towards NSSI, including depression, anxiety and history of abuse and NSSI is a risk factor for suicide. Many people who engage in NSSI do not seek help, potentially due to concern about sigmatising attitudes. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of gender and disclosure on stigmatising attitudes towards individuals who engage in NSSI. Design/methodology/approach Participants were 384 first-year university students (77.4 per cent female; mean age 19.50 years (SD=3.53)) who completed measures of stigmatising attitudes in response to vignettes featuring individuals who engaged in self-harming behaviour. Vignettes varied in the gender of the individual as well as whether the NSSI was disclosed or not. Findings The results support the attribution model of public discrimination in relation to NSSI stigma. Perceptions of higher personal responsibility for NSSI behaviour and higher levels of danger and manipulation were positively associated with stigmatizing attitudes and behaviours. Male research participants reported significantly higher levels of stigmatizing attitudes and behaviours than females. Social implications The level of stigmatising attitudes towards individuals who engage in NSSI is significant and may impact on help-seeking behaviour. Originality/value Between 10 and 25 per cent of adolescents engage in some form of NSSI, but only a minority seek help to address this behaviour. This study suggests that attitudes by peers may influence help-seeking. Further research is required outside of tertiary education settings.

Self‐Stigma Toward Nonsuicidal Self‐Injury: An Examination of Implicit and Explicit Attitudes

“…These results were consistent with previous evidence suggesting that NSSI is a stigmatized behavior (Burke et al, 2019;Law et al, 2009;Lloyd et al, 2018) and with studies demonstrating the presence of self-stigma among those with psychiatric disorders (Teachman et al, 2006). Teachman et al (2006) found that participants were more likely to endorse stigmatizing beliefs about psychiatric disorder as compared to physical illness regardless of the participants' health status.…”

“…Previous empirical literature has demonstrated the presence of public stigma toward NSSI (Burke et al, 2019;Law et al, 2009;Lloyd et al, 2018), and this study provides evidence of self-stigma toward NSSI. Although previous research has suggested that individuals with psychiatric disorders do not demonstrate a positive in-group bias (Teachman et al, 2006), there is evidence demonstrating a reduced aversion to NSSI stimuli .…”

“…The Behavioral Intention Questionnaires (BIQs) were designed to measure explicit behavioral intentions. The BIQs used items similar to previous literature assessing stigma (Corrigan, Markowitz, Watson, Rowan, & Kubiak, 2003;Link et al, 1987;Triandis, 1977) and implicit attitudes (Bonar et al, 2012;White, Hogg, & Terry, 2002). BIQs were created for this study to assess behavioral intentions (including discrimination) toward individuals with scarring from NSSI, those with visible tattoos, and individuals with scarring from nonintentional accidents.…”

“…There is considerable evidence highlighting the negative outcomes associated with stigma, especially stigma tied to psychiatric distress (i.e., NSSI). These outcomes can include general negative psychosocial outcomes, such as decreased economic productivity (Heatherton, Kleck, Hebl, & Hull, 2000;Link, Struening, Rahav, Phelan, & Nuttbrock, 1997), as well as negative outcomes related to NSSI more specifically, such as increases in symptomatology, such as depression (e.g., Stier & Hinshaw, 2007), or increases in negative self-concept, such as reductions in self-esteem or increases in shame (Garisch & Wilson, 2015;Lundh, W angby-Lundh, & Bj€ arehed, 2011). Thus, there is a clear public health imperative to reduce stigma toward NSSI by targeting both general public attitudes toward NSSI, as well as ameliorating the effects of self-stigma that have been demonstrated here.…”

Open to interpretation? Inconsistent reporting of lifetime nonsuicidal self-injury across two common assessments

“…Within lay communities, NSSI is often conceptualized primarily as a behavior that young women engage in by cutting their skin (Lewis, Mahdy, Michal, & Arbuthnott, 2014). Given the stigma associated with NSSI (Heath et al, 2011;Lloyd et al, 2018) and the stereotype of "who self-injures," men, older people, and people who engage in NSSI methods other than cutting may be more hesitant to label their behavior as NSSI on a single-item.…”