The effects of group counseling and self-affirmation on stigma and group relationship development: A replication and extension.

Abstract

The stigma of seeking counseling and negative attitudes about counseling are primary barriers to its use. In the only known study examining the utility of attending a group counseling session to ameliorate stigma (no control group), participation was associated with reductions in self-stigma (Wade et al., 2011). Self-affirmation interventions have shown promising results in reducing stigma and promoting positive expectations about counseling, but no research has examined its effects on a counseling session. In the present, two-part study, 172 college students who had previously completed an online screening survey, including measures of stigma, participated in a single session of group counseling at a mental health clinic. Upon arrival, participants completed a self-affirmation intervention before viewing psychoeducation (n = 66; 12 groups) or only viewed psychoeducation (n = 72; 14 groups); both groups then completed a session of group counseling. After, participants completed these same measures along with measures of group relationships. The remaining participants (n = 34; 7 groups) viewed psychoeducation and completed the same stigma measures before being informed of randomization to the wait-list control condition. Our results replicate and extend findings from Wade et al. ( 2011): Completing a single session of group counseling reduced self-stigma and promoted positive attitudes toward counseling. Further, completing self-affirmation reduced postsession perceptions of public stigma. Self-affirmation had no impact on group relationships. Overall, findings suggest the utility of offering a "try-out" session of group counseling as a stigma-reduction intervention; preceding with a brief self-affirmation intervention provides further benefits by reducing perceptions of public stigma. Public Significance StatementAttending a single "try-out" session of group counseling is an effective stigma-reduction intervention. Further, preceding with a self-affirmation intervention decreased perceptions of public stigma beyond the effects of attending group "as usual."

The Effectiveness of nurse-led PMTCT health education on self-stigma reduction among HIV-positive women in Mombasa County, Kenya

“…Stigma related to HIV infection remains a concern in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and influences depression among HIV-positive mothers (22). A study elsewhere indicated that health education during counselling reduces self-stigma among patients (23). Another study after a Quasi-experimental study indicated that Psychoeducation reduced self-stigma among patients with schizophrenia with an effect of (F(1,19)=5.52; p<0.05) (24).…”

Examining between- and within-person effects of the self-stigma of seeking psychological help on the therapeutic working alliance: The moderating role of psychological distress.

“…Second, Owen et al (2013) found that higher self-stigma was associated with lower ratings of the alliance in a sample of 91 college students receiving individual psychotherapy. Most recently, Seidman et al (2022) found a negative but not significant relationship among a sample of 138 college students attending a one-time group therapy session. However, a limitation of these studies is that the results reflect cross-sectional data.…”

Empathy-----moral behavior or immoral behavior

“…Furthermore, empathy promotes emotional growth and the development of adaptive coping skills in clients, which helps their longterm well-being. Finally, empathy is a transforming force that enables clients to begin a journey of self-discovery, resilience, and psychological healing within a counseling setting [10][11][12][13].…”