The Relationship Between Self-stigma, Loneliness, and Religious Coping in Primary Caregivers of Individuals with...

This study examined the relationships between  loneliness, religious coping, and self-stigma among primary caregivers of individuals with mental disorders in Türkiye. The study population consisted of primary caregivers of individuals with mental disorders who presented to the psychiatric ward and outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Istanbul Province between January 1 and July 30, 2025. The sample included 302 primary caregivers who met the inclusion criteria. Data were collected via a descriptive information form, the Self-Stigma Inventory for Family Members, the UCLA Loneliness Scale-Short Form, and the Religious Coping Scale. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis were employed in the data analysis. The participants' mean scores for self-stigma, loneliness, positive religious coping, and negative religious coping were 32.87 ± 8.85, 10.09  ±  2.44, 20.95 ± 3.93, and 4.26 ± 1.73, respectively. Self-stigma was positively correlated with loneliness and negative religious coping and negatively correlated with positive religious coping. In addition, several sociodemographic characteristics were found to influence self-stigma. These findings indicate that loneliness, as well as positive and negative religious coping, plays important roles in the self-stigma levels of primary caregivers of individuals with mental disorders, alongside sociodemographic factors. In practice, mental health professionals can reduce self-stigma by developing psychosocial and culturally sensitive interventions that focus on decreasing loneliness and strengthening positive religious coping strategies among primary caregivers.