title: Aspects of perceived stigma: the Stigma Inventory for Mental Illness, its development, latent structure and psychometric properties.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to develop a new brief and easy to administer self-stigma scale for mental illness as well as to assess the correlations between self-stigma and psychopathology of chronic schizophrenic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Stigma Inventory for Mental Illness (SIMI) was administered to 100 outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Psychopathology and overall functioning were assessed with the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) and Global Assessment Scale (GAS), respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The final scale consists of 12 items. Factor analysis concluded to two dimensions: perceptions of social stigma and self-efficacy. Both factors were found to be reliable (high internal consistency and stability coefficients). Significant correlations were present with psychopathology, functioning and selected items from the Community Attitudes toward the Mentally Ill (CAMI) inventory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SIMI scale is a reliable and valid psychometric tool that can be used to assess patient's self-stigma and self-efficacy. The findings suggest also that psychopathology has an immediate effect on endorsing self-stigmatizing attitudes.
authors: Psychosocial Vocational Rehabilitation Unit (PVRU). University Mental Health Research Institute (UMHRI), Athens, Greece. Electronic address: vkaridi@epipsi.gr.
authors: Maria Veroniki
authors: MV
authors: Karidi
authors: Psychosocial Vocational Rehabilitation Unit (PVRU). University Mental Health Research Institute (UMHRI), Athens, Greece.
authors: Despoina
authors: D
authors: Vasilopoulou
authors: Psychosocial Vocational Rehabilitation Unit (PVRU). University Mental Health Research Institute (UMHRI), Athens, Greece.
authors: Eugenia
authors: E
authors: Savvidou
authors: Biostatistics Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK.
authors: Silia
authors: S
authors: Vitoratou
authors: Psychosocial Vocational Rehabilitation Unit (PVRU). University Mental Health Research Institute (UMHRI), Athens, Greece.
authors: Andreas D
authors: AD
authors: Rabavilas
authors: Psychosocial Vocational Rehabilitation Unit (PVRU). University Mental Health Research Institute (UMHRI), Athens, Greece.
authors: Constantinos N
authors: CN
authors: Stefanis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001290:Attitude; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012647:Self-Assessment; D057545:Social Stigma; D055815:Young Adult