To be or not to be (a prisoner): Social identification as cure and curse via self-stigma and social exclusion

Research on social identification in marginalized populations has documented both social cure and social curse effects, suggesting that distinct identification dimensions may underlie opposite outcomes. This study integrated the Social Identity Approach to Health with stigma and social exclusion research to explore a dual pathway in which ingroup ties and identity centrality are respectively associated with greater or lower well-being among prisoners through their links with self-stigma and perceived social exclusion. A path analysis was conducted with a sample of 160 prisoners. Findings suggest that belonging and connectedness derived from identifying with fellow prisoners (i.e., ingroup ties) are associated with reduced psychological distress via lower perceived exclusion. In a context characterized by disconnection, social identification may provide a form of reconnection that supports well-being. Conversely, the personal importance attributed to the prisoner identity (i.e., identity centrality) was associated with greater self-stigma and perceived exclusion, with the latter mediating its negative association with well-being. Within a highly stigmatized group, the centrality of group identity may amplify feelings of exclusion, undermining well-being. Overall, the study advances understanding of the dual effects of social identification in marginalized groups and underscores the value of applying established psychosocial frameworks to hard-to-reach populations.