Understanding the Stigma of Mental Illness: Theory and Interventions »

Many mentally ill people are the victims of stigma, which leads to additional suffering and humiliation. Negative stereotypes and prejudicial attitudes against them are often reinforced by their media representation as unpredictable, violent and dangerous. Hence the importance of the study of stigma as an explanatory construct of much that transpires in the management of the mentally ill in our societies.


This book describes the experience of stigmatization at the level of the individual, and seeks to measure stigma and discrimination from the following perspectives: Self imposed stigma due to shame, guilt and low self esteem; Socially imposed stigma due to social stereotyping and prejudice; and Structurally imposed stigma, caused by policies, practices, and laws that discriminate against the mentally ill.


This book briefly describes programmes that aim to reduce such stigma then looks at ways to evaluate their effectiveness. It is the first book to focus on evaluation and research methodologies in stigma and mental health. It also:


* presents new interventions to reduce stigma

* describes the various international programmes which help reduce stigma

* discusses the use of the internet as an international tool to promote awareness of stigma in mental health.


Understanding the Stigma of Mental Illness is essential reading for clinicians and researchers who wish to apply or develop stigma reduction programmes. It is also a valuable addition to the libraries of political analysts, policy makers, clinicians, researchers, and all those interested in how to approach and measure this distressing socialphenomenon.

1 The rights of a powerless legion Julio Arboleda-Florez Arboleda-Florez, Julio 1

2 Cross-cultural aspects of the stigma of mental illness Bernice A. Pescosolido Pescosolido, Bernice A. Sigrun Olafsdottir Olafsdottir, Sigrun Jack K. Martin Martin, Jack K. J. Scott Long Long, J. Scott 19

3 The WPA Global Programme against Stigma and Discrimination because of Schizophrenia Norman Sartorius Sartorius, Norman 37

4 'Fighting stigma and discrimination because of schizophenia - Open the Doors': a collaborative review of the experience from the German project centres A. E. Baumann Baumann, A. E. W. Gaebel Gaebel, W. 49

5 Stigma and health care staff Juan J. Lopez-Ibor Jr. Lopez-Ibor, Juan J., Jr. Olga Cuenca Cuenca, Olga Maria-Ines Lopez-Ibor Lopez-Ibor, Maria-Ines 69

6 Evaluating programmatic needs concerning the stigma of mental illness Beate Schulze Schulze, Beate 85

7 Using the Internet for fighting the stigma of schizophrenia Hugh Schulze Schulze, Hugh 125

8 Building an evidence base for anti-stigma programming Heather Stuart Stuart, Heather 135

9 Other people stigmatize . . . but, what about us? Attitudes of mental health professionals towards patients with schizophrenia Alp Ucok Ucok, Alp 147

10 Implementing anti stigma programmes in Boulder, Colorado and Calgary, Alberta Richard Warner Warner, Richard 161

11 Stigma measurement approaches: conceptual origins and current applications Lawrence H. Yang Yang, Lawrence H. Bruce G. Link Link, Bruce G. Jo C. Phelan Phelan, Jo C. 175

App Inventories to measure the scope and impact of stigma experiences from the perspective of those who are stigmatized - consumer and family versions Heather Stuart Stuart, HeatherMichelle Koller Koller, Michelle Roumen Milev Milev, Roumen 193

Index 205