The Effects of Stigma on Recovery Attitudes in People With Anorexia Nervosa in Intensive Treatment

Abstract

Self-stigma in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) may affect engagement in intensive treatment. The objective of this study was to test a Model of Self-Stigma to identify the influence of public stigma, internalized stigma, self-esteem, and self-efficacy on recovery attitudes in individuals in inpatient treatment for AN. Using a cross-sectional design, 36 female participants with AN completed questionnaires during the first week of intensive inpatient treatment. Better attitude towards recovery was positively correlated with higher self-esteem and self-efficacy and negatively correlated with greater internalized stigma and perceptions of others devaluing families of individuals with AN. Together, these factors accounted for 63% of the variance in recovery attitudes. Findings demonstrate the adverse effects perceived stigma towards families, self-stigma, and self-esteem have on recovery attitudes in individuals with AN. Clinical interventions are needed to challenge internalized stigma and bolster self-esteem to enhance individuals' recovery efforts.

The Science Behind the Academy for Eating Disorders' Nine Truths About Eating Disorders

“…As discussed in Truth 1, an eating disorder represents a health crisis that affects every aspect of an individual's life. In addition to myriad psychiatric and somatic complications and comorbidities enumerated in Truth 1, eating disorders also lead to considerable psychological distress, as well as isolation, stigmatization, and difficulties with family and other interpersonal relationships (Ali et al, ; Caslini et al, ; Dimitropoulos, McCallum, Colasanto, Freeman, & Gadalla, ; van Langenberg, Sawyer, le Grange, & Hughes, ). Further, eating disorders are associated with financial burden, delays in healthy development, and functional impairment and may interfere with social role functioning including intimate relationships, reproductive health and parenting (see summaries in Tables S2–S4).…”

How do people with eating disorders experience the stigma associated with their condition? A mixed-methods systematic review

“…Similarly, undiagnosed Latina women with ED symptomatology showed higher levels of stigmatisation of mental health treatment than women who reported a clinical history of EDs (Higgins, Bulik, & Bardone-Cone, 2016). A survey of women in inpatient treatment for AN found that higher public and internalised stigma predicted poorer attitudes to recovery (Dimitropoulos, McCallum, Colasanto, Freeman, & Gadalla, 2016). Two studies suggested the relationship between stigma and negative attitudes to help-seeking is particularly strong in men (Griffiths, Mond, Li, et al, 2015;Hackler et al, 2010).…”

Stigmatization toward People with Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder: A Scoping Review

“…One criticism is that most of this work has concentrated on psychotic or mood disorders such as schizophrenia or depression, while EDs have been relatively overlooked. The scarce research that has recently focused on ED stigma typically either examined just one ED (e.g., AN) [ 27 , 28 ]; did not necessarily distinguish between AN, BN, and BED; or addressed only a single aspect of ED stigma: either its content, its stigmatizing sources, or its consequences [ 4 , 7 , 42 ]. For example, the recent systematic review conducted by Foran et al [ 4 ] only investigated the consequences of ED stigma.…”