The relationship between mental illness severity and stigma

Abstract

Beside perceived treatment intensity and diagnostic label, the perception of social disability of mentally ill people accounts for a differentiated stigma. The question arises how anti-stigma-programmes can include the topic of social disability into their messages without risking to strengthen the stigma of mental illness.

Dangerous Criminals or Misunderstood? Assessing Police Perceptions of the Mentally Ill

“…This ultimately leads to rejection and exclusion for people displaying behaviors or symptoms that are perceived as strange (Baumann, 2007). Researchers argue that the desire to distinguish between in-groups (non-mentally ill population) and out-groups (mentally ill population) results from a lack of knowledge and understanding of mental illnesses (Gaebel, Zäske, & Baumann, 2006). Gaebel, Zäske, and Baumann (2006) found in a review of population surveys that laypeople's have a limited understanding of mental illness and focus on the symptoms and visible aspects of the displayed behavior.…”

“…Researchers argue that the desire to distinguish between in-groups (non-mentally ill population) and out-groups (mentally ill population) results from a lack of knowledge and understanding of mental illnesses (Gaebel, Zäske, & Baumann, 2006). Gaebel, Zäske, and Baumann (2006) found in a review of population surveys that laypeople's have a limited understanding of mental illness and focus on the symptoms and visible aspects of the displayed behavior. This strategy allowed participants to accurately perceive differences in the severity of mental illnesses, but not differentiate between specific mental illnesses (Baumann, 2007;Gaebel et al, 2006).…”

“…Gaebel, Zäske, and Baumann (2006) found in a review of population surveys that laypeople's have a limited understanding of mental illness and focus on the symptoms and visible aspects of the displayed behavior. This strategy allowed participants to accurately perceive differences in the severity of mental illnesses, but not differentiate between specific mental illnesses (Baumann, 2007;Gaebel et al, 2006). Klin and Lemish (2008) further noted that American media has further exacerbated the stigmatization of psychiatric patients by portraying them as violent and rebellious.…”

“…Feldman and Crandall (2007) suggested that perceived personal responsibility, perceived dangerousness, and perceived rarity of illness cause stigmatization of mentally ill persons and result in discrimination and social rejection. Researchers have utilized a variety of measures to assess stigmatization (Dietrich et al, 2004;Gaebel et al, 2006). One common measure is participants' desire for social distance or the amount of distance individuals would place between themselves and mentally ill persons (Dietrich et al, 2004).…”

Actitudes hacia los trastornos mentales y su asociación percibida con delito: Estigma social

“…Las personas con esquizofrenia contribuyen a la violencia menos de un 5% del total, bien es cierto que este dato puede estar incluso sobrestimado al no poder controlarse todos los factores en los estudios sobre el tema (Appelbaum, 2006;Fazel, & Grann, 2006). Varios estudios muestran, en contra de la creencia social de que los enfermos mentales son violentos, que suelen ser víctimas de ellos (La Gaebel, Zäske, & Baumann, 2006;Stuart, 2003).…”