title: Parents' stigmatizing attitudes toward psychiatric labels for ADHD and depression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE There is concern that diagnostic labels for psychiatric disorders may invoke damaging stigma, especially for children. This study compared parents' stigma toward children with the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or depression versus the same symptoms plus a psychiatric label. METHODS Parents (N=225) rated their stereotypes, prejudice, and social distance toward vignettes of children with a developmentally typical range of behaviors, symptoms that met DSM-IV-TR criteria for ADHD or depression, and the same symptoms plus a label of ADHD or depression. RESULTS Children described as having symptoms only were more stigmatized than children with typical behaviors (d=.97-2.69). Adding a diagnostic label resulted in significant but small increases in stigma (d=.12-.23). CONCLUSIONS Parents highly stigmatized children with psychiatric problems, but adding a diagnostic label made only a small contribution to worsening the stigma. The benefits of seeking psychiatric services-accessing treatment and providing validation-may outweigh fears of labeling.
authors.forename: Jeneva L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ohan
authors.forename: Troy A W
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: Rachael G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.forename: Nicholas B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Allen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011287:Prejudice; D057545:Social Stigma; D013240:Stereotyping