Formation of the phenomenon of stigmatization against individuals affected in emergencies from representatives of various social groups

Abstract

In this article the authors consider the phenomenon of stigmatization as one of the unfavorable socio-psychological results of emergency situations raising the level of personality vulnerability though not studied enough so far. A study was made to reveal stigmatization with relation to persons who had suffered from emergency situations, among the inhabitants of the two regions exposed to terroristic attacks: that of North Ossetiya (the town of Beslan and the city of Vladikavkaz) and the Central Region (the city of Moscow). Analysis of the obtained data permitted one to make a conclusion of the presence of signs of stigmatization in both groups of respondents, of insufficient awareness in society of the specificities of individual forms of response to stress, of manifestations of post-stress mental disorders, as well as a transfer of social stereotypes related to persons with mental disorders to the victims. Socio-demographic factors causing outward stigmatization have been defined. A degree of expression of stigmatization tendencies depends on a respondent’s social status as well as on the past traumatic experience.