Does prolonged grief or suicide bereavement cause public stigma? A vignette-based experiment

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Mental Health
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD), a condition of severe, persistent grief, is newly recognized in ICD-11.
• Public stigma associated with mental health diagnoses is a significant concern.
• Previous research suggests suicide bereavement may elicit public stigma, but its interaction with PGD is unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether a PGD diagnosis influences public stigma.
• To examine if the cause of spousal loss (suicide, homicide, natural) affects public stigma.
• To explore the interaction between PGD and the cause of death in shaping public stigma.

Main Methods:

• An experimental design involving 317 adults from the general population.
• Participants were randomly assigned to read one of six vignettes depicting a person with or without PGD, who experienced loss through suicide, homicide, or natural causes (stroke).
• Assessed negative attributions, emotional reactions (anger, anxiety, pro-social), and preferred social distance post-vignette exposure.

Main Results:

• A PGD diagnosis, irrespective of the cause of death, led to significantly more negative attributions towards the individual.
• Participants exhibited increased anger, anxiety, and pro-social emotions when presented with a PGD diagnosis.
• A greater social distance was preferred for individuals diagnosed with PGD.

Conclusions:

• The findings strongly support that a PGD diagnosis itself is a significant cause of public stigma.
• The study nuances the impact of suicide bereavement on public stigma, indicating PGD plays a more critical role.
• Results highlight the need for public education and awareness to mitigate stigma associated with PGD.