title: Self-stigma and the "why try" effect: impact on life goals and evidence-based practices.
abstract: Many individuals with mental illnesses are troubled by self-stigma and the subsequent processes that accompany this stigma: low self-esteem and self-efficacy. "Why try" is the overarching phenomenon of interest here, encompassing self-stigma, mediating processes, and their effect on goal-related behavior. In this paper, the literature that explains "why try" is reviewed, with special focus on social psychological models. Self-stigma comprises three steps: awareness of the stereotype, agreement with it, and applying it to one's self. As a result of these processes, people suffer reduced self-esteem and self-efficacy. People are dissuaded from pursuing the kind of opportunities that are fundamental to achieving life goals because of diminished self-esteem and self-efficacy. People may also avoid accessing and using evidence-based practices that help achieve these goals. The effects of self-stigma and the "why try" effect can be diminished by services that promote consumer empowerment.
authors.affiliation: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Corrigan
authors.forename: Jonathon E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rüsch