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Covering up what can't be seen: concealable stigma and mental control
1Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, USA. les@itsa.ucsf.edu
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|October 8, 1999
Summary
Concealing an eating disorder (ED) stigma during social interactions increases preoccupation with ED-related thoughts. Participants who hid their ED experienced more intrusive thoughts and word accessibility, impacting mental well-being.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Stigma surrounding mental health conditions, particularly eating disorders (ED), can influence social interactions.
- Individuals may attempt to conceal stigmatized conditions to avoid negative social consequences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cognitive and behavioral effects of concealing an eating disorder (ED) stigma in a social interaction.
- To examine how hiding an ED impacts thought processes and word accessibility.
Main Methods:
- An interview paradigm was used with undergraduate female participants.
- Participants either had or did not have eating disorder characteristics.
- Participants role-played having or not having an eating disorder (ED) while answering stigma-relevant questions.
Main Results:
- Participants who concealed their ED stigma exhibited increased secrecy, suppression, and intrusive thoughts.
- Concealing an ED led to greater projection of ED-related thoughts onto the interviewer.
- Increased accessibility of ED-related words was observed during and after the interview for participants concealing their stigma.
Conclusions:
- Concealing an eating disorder (ED) stigma imposes a significant cognitive burden, leading to preoccupation with stigma-relevant thoughts.
- The act of stigma concealment can exacerbate psychological distress and intrusive thinking.
- Findings highlight the detrimental effects of stigma concealment on individuals with eating disorders.
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