The Role of Empathy and Adult Attachment in Predicting Stigma toward Severe and Persistent Mental Illness and other Psychosocial or Health Conditions

Abstract

Research suggests that empathy may reduce stigma, while adult attachment style may influence empathy. We examined stigma toward schizophrenia and other psychosocial or health concerns. We created vignettes describing a person displaying behavioral problems with different reasons offered for the behavior. Vignettes were followed by stigma items. Participants (N = 347) also completed empathy and adult attachment scales. The most stigma was found with a homelessness vignette, and the least with an Alzheimer's disease vignette. No significant differences in stigma were found between bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or “severe psychological disorder” vignettes. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated a significant main effect for empathy. Interaction terms for empathy and adult attachment did not explain a significant proportion of stigma variance. Results are discussed in terms of mainstream conceptions of these conditions.

The role of secure attachment, empathic self-efficacy, and stress perception in causal beliefs related to mental illness – a cross-cultural study: Italy versus Israel

“…As referred to MDCBs, feeling self-confident with interpersonal relationships in general does not mean believing in his/her own capacity to affect the others. These results do not seem to fall in line with the findings of Webb et al 31 which evidence a positive relation between fearful attachment and low levels of empathy. Webb et al 31 suggest that attachment style may influence the relationship between empathy and discriminating attitudes, in a way that adults who are fearfully attached do not seek personal relationships with others and would feel less empathic toward somebody who is demonstrating socially inappropriate behaviors.…”

“…In this study, when referring to the causal beliefs system, biogenetic and psychosocial causal attributions are hypothesized to be the two poles of a continuum, as identified in previous research. 3 , 21 In line with Webb et al’s study, 31 a relation is then hypothesized between causal explanations of mental illness constructs and secure attachment measures; hypotheses of associations of causal belief constructs with empathic self-efficacy and stress perception measures are also formulated. The importance of gender 45 and of religious beliefs 46 as demonstrated in the literature is also suggested when accounting for the participants’ attributes in the analysis.…”

“…Studies have also been conducted on specific interpersonal variables which might impact on stigma, such as empathy and adult attachment. 31 Although empathy is a construct difficult to be defined, research suggests that it may be a predictor of stigma. 31 – 33 The role of attachment in the relationship between empathy and stigma has also been analyzed; 30 Britton and Fuendeling 34 have noted that it is in particular a secure attachment style which is related to the capacity of recognizing others’ needs.…”

“… 31 Although empathy is a construct difficult to be defined, research suggests that it may be a predictor of stigma. 31 – 33 The role of attachment in the relationship between empathy and stigma has also been analyzed; 30 Britton and Fuendeling 34 have noted that it is in particular a secure attachment style which is related to the capacity of recognizing others’ needs. Among other variables, stress has assumed an important place in many studies on stigmatization and its impact on interpersonal relationships has been analyzed in the past and in recent years.…”

When Depression Breeds Rejection Rather Than Compassion: Disagreeableness, Stigma, and Lack of Empathic Concern Among Support Providers

“…A lack of empathy often accompanies the stigma directed toward individuals with mental illness ( 41 ). According to Batson's empathy-altruism hypothesis (2011), empathic concern is the immediate precursor to compassionate action.…”