Self-stigma, empowerment, and perceived legitimacy of discrimination among women with mental illness.
OBJECTIVE
The study sought to better understand why some people with mental illness self-stigmatize and develop low self-esteem while others remain indifferent to stigma or respond with a sense of empowerment. The authors hypothesized that a high level of perceived discrimination, little sense of identification with the group of people with mental illness, and a high level of perceived legitimacy of discrimination lead to self-stigma.


METHODS
Sixty women with borderline personality disorder and 30 women with social phobia, who were recruited at three centers in Germany and Switzerland, completed stigma-related questionnaires.


RESULTS
After depression and index diagnosis were controlled for, a low level of perceived discrimination and of the legitimacy of discrimination predicted high self-esteem and high empowerment. Identification with the group of people with mental illness did not predict self-esteem or empowerment.


CONCLUSIONS
Perceived legitimacy of discrimination may be a crucial determinant of a person's response to stigma.
Rüsch
Nicolas
N
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Freiburg, Germany. nicolas_ruesch@psyallg.ukl.uni-freiburg.de
Lieb
Klaus
K
Bohus
Martin
M
Corrigan
Patrick W
PW
D000328:Adult; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D010698:Phobic Disorders; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011287:Prejudice; D012649:Self Concept; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland