Mental Health Support Groups, Stigma, and Self-Esteem: Positive and Negative Implications of Group Identification

Abstract

Research into the relationship between stigmatization and well-being suggests that identification with a stigmatized group can buffer individuals from the adverse effects of stigma. In part, this is because social identification is hypothesized to provide a basis for social support which increases resistance to stigma and rejection of negative in-group stereotypes. The present research tests this model among individuals with mental health problems. As hypothesized, group identification predicted increased social support, stereotype rejection, and stigma resistance. These self-protective mechanisms were in turn found to predict higher levels of self-esteem. However, the general effect of these associations was to suppress a negative relationship between social identification and self-esteem. This confirms that the positive impact of identification lies in its capacity to provide access to stress-buffering mechanisms but also indicates that the impact of identification with a severely stigmatized group is not necessarily positive. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

The influence of groups and alcohol consumption on individual risk-taking

“…On the other hand, being part of a social group can have a positive impact on health-related behaviours (Crabtree, Haslam, Postmes, & Haslam, 2010;Jetten, Haslam, Haslan, Dingle, & Jones, 2014). For example, the presence of varied types of social support (friend, family, support groups) appear to aid in the alcohol recovery process by promoting sustained abstinence within alcohol anonymous groups (for review see, Groh, Jason, & Keys, 2008).…”

“Depression is who I am”: Mental illness identity, stigma and wellbeing

“…Very little research has found evidence of this to date, however, one recent study found that people in treatment for substance use disorder had better outcomes to the extent that they disidentified with previous substance using identities (Dingle et al 2014). One particularly relevant study (Crabtree et al 2010) explored social identification with mental health support groups and the consequences for social support, stigma-resistance and self-esteem. Interestingly, while social identification was associated with greater perceived support and stigma resistance, this had the effect of suppressing an otherwise negative relationship between identification and self-esteem.…”

Kill or Cure? Different Types of Social Class Identification Amplify and Buffer the Relation between Social Class and Mental Health

“…Interestingly, Crabtree et al (2010) found evidence in support of both the amplification hypothesis and the buffering hypothesis. These researchers investigated members of mental health support groups in order to determine whether identifying with these stigmatized groups had positive or negative outcomes on psychological well-being.…”

“…On the one hand, stronger social class identification may amplify the observed association between social class and mental health because identification strengthens the relation between the social status of the social class group and group members' self-definition (Crabtree et al, 2010;Ellemers et al, 1999;Martiny & Rubin, 2016;McCoy & Major, 2003;Rubin & Hewstone, 1998, 2004. On the other hand, stronger social class identification may weaken the observed association between social class and mental health because it is associated with a sense of belonging and connectedness that buffers the negative effects of membership in low social class groups (Crabtree et al, 2010;Cruwys et al, 2014;Elliott & Doane, 2015;Greenaway et al, 2016;Jetten et al, 2012;Kawachi & Berkman, 2001;Sani et al, 2012).…”