title: A stigmatizating attitude towards psychiatric illnesses is associated with narcissistic personality traits.
abstract: This study investigates the personality characteristics of individuals who have stigmatizing attitudes towards people with mental illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  700 final-year university students completed the "Dangerousness Scale,' the "Affective Reaction Scale" and 88 items of the "Defense Style Questionnaire" (DSQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that there is a strongly positive correlation between the use of narcissistic defenses and the tendency to stigmatize. In contrast, those with mature defenses have a strong tendency not to stigmatize.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that personality traits should be considered in efforts to understand stigmatization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey. mkarikan@istanbul.edu.tr
authors.forename: Kemal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arikan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009289:Narcissism; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires