title: Diminishing the self-stigma of mental illness by coming out proud.
abstract: This randomized controlled trial examined the impact of the Coming Out Proud (COP) program on self-stigma, stigma stress, and depression. Research participants who experienced mental health challenges were randomly assigned to a three session COP program (n=51) or a waitlist control (n=75). Outcome measures that assessed the progressively harmful stages of self-stigma, stigma stress appraisals, and depression were administered at pre-test, post-test, and one-month follow-up. People completing COP showed significant improvement at post-test and follow-up in the more harmful aspects of self-stigma compared to the control group. COP participants also showed improvements in stigma stress appraisals. Women participating in COP showed significant post-test and follow-up reductions in depression after COP compared to the control group. Men did not show this effect. Future research should determine whether these benefits also enhance attitudes related to recovery, empowerment, and self-determination.
authors.affiliation: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA. Electronic address: corrigan@iit.edu.
authors.forename: Patrick W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Corrigan
authors.affiliation: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathon E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.affiliation: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Michaels
authors.affiliation: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Blythe A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Buchholz
authors.affiliation: Center for Dignity, Recovery, and Empowerment Mental Health Association of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel Del
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Center for Dignity, Recovery, and Empowerment Mental Health Association of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Malia Javier
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fontecchio
authors.affiliation: Center for Dignity, Recovery, and Empowerment Mental Health Association of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Center for Dignity, Recovery, and Empowerment Mental Health Association of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gause
authors.affiliation: Center for Dignity, Recovery, and Empowerment Mental Health Association of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krzyżanowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry II, University of Ulm and BKH Günzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rüsch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012649:Self Concept; D057545:Social Stigma
keywords: Depression; Disclosure; Stigma; Stress