Open AccessUnderstanding the importance of “symbolic interaction stigma”: How expectations about the reactions of others adds to the burden of mental illness stigma.
Author(s) -
Bruce G. Link,
Jennifer B. Wells,
Jo C. Phelan,
Lawrence H. Yang
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
psychiatric rehabilitation journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.767
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1559-3126
pISSN - 1095-158X
DOI - 10.1037/prj0000142
Subject(s) - psychology , stigma (botany) , social psychology , mental illness , symbolic interactionism , developmental psychology , the symbolic , clinical psychology , mental health , psychiatry , psychotherapist
Important components of stigma include imagining what others might think of a stigmatized status, anticipating what might transpire in an interaction with others, and rehearsing what one might do if something untoward occurs. These imagined relations are here called symbolic interaction stigma and can have an impact even if the internalization of negative stereotypes fails to occur. Concepts and measures that capture symbolic interaction stigma are introduced, and a preliminary assessment of their impact is provided.