Experiences of Stigma-Stress among People Living with Psoriasis in the United States

Objective: Stigma and stress affect multiple domains of life among stigmatized people. However, although both stigma research and stress research advance, more can be done to connect these 2 important lines of sociological inquiry. Methods: To address this gap, 23 semi-structured interviews were conducted with study participants in the United States to examine the daily lived experiences of stigma-stress among people living with psoriasis. A grounded theory approach was employed in the analyses of participant narratives. Results: Findings uncover ways that anticipated and experienced stigma contribute to burdensome feelings of "being different" and reveal how stigma-stress proliferates, affecting daily functioning of participants and their family and intimate networks. Conclusion: Findings indicate chronicity of stigma-stress experienced by participants is shaped by access to and utilization of personal and social resources. These findings contribute to stigma and stress literature, elucidating the conceptual and practical implications of a stigma-stress nexus experienced daily by those living with a chronic skin condition.