title: Self-stigma and schizophrenia: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the degree of self-stigma in schizophrenia and its association with clinical and demographic factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 197 outpatients (54.3% females) diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder) according to International Classification of Diseases - tenth edition participated in the study. The mean age of the patients was 40.10±11.49 years. All individuals completed the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale and a demographic questionnaire. The disorder severity was assessed by both a psychiatrist (the objective version of Clinical Global Impression - severity scale [objCGI-S]) and the patients (the subjective version of Clinical Global Impression - severity scale [subjCGI-S]). Treatment with antipsychotics stabilized the patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall level of self-stigma measured by the total score of the ISMI was 63.32±13.59. The total score of the ISMI positively correlated with the severity of the disorder measured by the objCGI-S and subjCGI-S. In addition, self-stigma positively correlated with the treatment duration and the number of psychiatric hospitalizations. The backward stepwise regression was applied to identify the most significant factors connected to self-stigma. The regression analysis identified the following regressors as the most relevant to self-stigma: the number of previous psychiatric hospitalizations, the severity of the disorder rated by a psychiatrist, and the difference between the objective rating and the subjective rating of the severity of the disorder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Outpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, who have undergone a higher number of psychiatric hospitalizations, who dispose of a higher severity of the disorder and show a higher discrepancy between their rating of the severity and the psychiatric rating, showed a greater degree of self-stigma. The management of self-stigma in patients with schizophrenia should be implemented in the routine care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc.
authors.forename: Kristyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vrbova
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prasko
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc; Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Liberec, Liberec, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holubova
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kamaradova
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ociskova
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc.
authors.forename: Marketa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marackova
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc.
authors.forename: Klara
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Latalova
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc.
authors.forename: Ales
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grambal
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology Sciences, Faculty of Social Science and Health Care, Constantine the Philosopher University, Nitra, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Milos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Slepecky
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology Sciences, Faculty of Social Science and Health Care, Constantine the Philosopher University, Nitra, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zatkova
keywords: duration of the treatment; number of hospitalizations; schizophrenia; self-stigma