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Are stigma experiences among persons with mental illness, related to perceptions of self‐esteem, empowerment and sense of coherence?
Author(s) -
LUNDBERG B.,
HANSSON L.,
WENTZ E.,
BJÖRKMAN T.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.69
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1365-2850
pISSN - 1351-0126
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2850.2009.01418.x
Subject(s) - empowerment , self esteem , psychology , mental health , psychology of self , psychological intervention , mental illness , coping (psychology) , perception , self concept , social psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , neuroscience , political science , law
Accessible summary• The findings from the present study revealed that people with mental illness are often exposed to social rejection from friends and the public. The most common experiences concerned is to be treated differently, or as less competent, after being a patient in mental health care. • The main finding of this study was that more rejection experiences were associated with lower level of sense of coherence and, to a lesser extent, with lower level of empowerment and self‐esteem. • The weak association, between enacted stigma and self‐esteem, as well as empowerment and sense of coherence, seems encouraging. However, further research and interventions may also pay attention to felt or anticipated stigma among mentally ill persons.Abstract The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between stigmatizing rejection experiences and self‐related variables. Our hypothesis was that rejection experiences would be negatively associated with perceptions of self‐esteem, empowerment and sense of coherence. A cross‐sectional study assessing rejection experiences, empowerment, sense of coherence and self‐esteem was performed, including 200 persons in current or earlier contact with mental health services. The results showed that experiences of rejection were negatively associated with sense of coherence, empowerment and self‐esteem. This exploratory investigation suggests that experiences of rejection might be a target for coping interventions. Mental health nurses are in a key position to identify patients' experiences of stigma and by that to understand what consequences of devaluation/discrimination can have for the afflicted.