title: Perceived Discrimination, Internalized Stigma and Psychological Well-Being of People with Mental Illness.
abstract: The present study examines the relationships between perceived discrimination, internalized stigma, and well-being in a sample of people with mental illness. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 213 outpatients from the Spanish public network of social care. Perceived discrimination was positively and significantly correlated with internalized stigma (p < .01 for all measures of perceived discrimination). Blatant individual discrimination, subtle individual discrimination, and internalized stigma were negatively correlated with life satisfaction, affect balance, and psychological well-being (p < .01 for all cases, except for blatant individual discrimination and affect balance, for which is p < .05). Regression and mediation analyses indicate that subtle individual discrimination is the kind of discrimination most negatively associated to the well-being measures (life satisfaction: B = -.18, p < .10; affect balance: B = -.19, p < .10; psychological well-being: B = -.21, p < .05), and that this association is mediated by internalized stigma. Future research should confirm these findings in a longitudinal or experimental model. In light of our findings, we suggest the development and implementation of intervention programs that target subtle discrimination, and point at the importance of implementing programs to reduce internalized stigma.
authors.affiliation: UNED (Spain).
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pérez-Garín
authors.affiliation: UNED (Spain).
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Molero
authors.affiliation: Open Universiteit (the Netherlands).
authors.forename: Arjan E R
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Bos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D000066498:Emotional Adjustment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011287:Prejudice; D011581:Psychological Tests; D013030:Spain; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: discrimination; mental health; stigma; well being