title: Perceived stigmatization of mentally ill people and its consequences for the quality of life in a Swiss population.
abstract: The awareness of social conceptions of mental illness is essential in understanding the social realities of people with mental illness. Labeling due to psychiatric hospitalization can have a powerful influence on people's life chances. Little is known about subjective perceptions of stigmatization and discrimination and the influence of these beliefs on the quality of life of mentally ill people. We used a psychiatric inpatient sample and a community sample to analyze and compare perception of stigmatization and discrimination. Both patients and community members believed that most people rejected former mental patients. Thus, attitudes toward mental illness have their source in the socialization of the individual and his or her cultural context rather than in the currently pathological state of those affected. In a multiple regression analysis, we showed that even if controlled for demographic and clinical factors, perceived devaluation and discrimination had a significant negative effect on the quality of life of the mentally ill people. For planning and implementing psychiatric treatment programs, it is important to be aware of social conceptions of mental disorder.
authors.affiliation: Public Mental Health Research Group, Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Graf
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lauber
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nordt
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rüesch
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Wulf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rössler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001364:Awareness; D003625:Data Collection; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011287:Prejudice; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012938:Social Perception; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland / Q000208:ethnology