title: Stigma Related Avoidance in People Living with Severe Mental Illness (SMI): Findings of an Integrative Review.
abstract: The purpose of this integrative review is to synthesize primary evidence of the impact of internalized stigma on avoidance in adult community treatment patients living with SMI. A keyword database search of articles published through 2015 yielded 21 papers and a total of 4256 patients. Our analyses found that stigmatizing beliefs associated with avoidance are related to significant loss of self-esteem. Factors generally thought to reduce stigma internalized as self-stigmatizing beliefs, such as improved insight, increased self-awareness, and psycho-education to improve stigma coping skills, do not appear to improve self-esteem.
authors.affiliation: MPH Program, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.|Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Nursing, 4171 Signe Skott Cooper Hall, 701 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.|Fordem Connections Community Support Programs, Journey Mental Health Center, West Washington Avenue, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Sadat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abiri
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Nursing, 4171 Signe Skott Cooper Hall, 701 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA. linda.oakley@wisc.edu.
authors.forename: Linda Denise
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Oakley
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences Library, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, 750 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hitchcock
authors.affiliation: Fordem Connections Community Support Programs, Journey Mental Health Center, West Washington Avenue, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012934:Social Isolation; D057545:Social Stigma; D013240:Stereotyping
keywords: Avoidance; Self-esteem; Severe mental illness; Stigma