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Psychiatric illness and family stigma
J C Phelan1, E J Bromet, B G Link
1Division of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
Schizophrenia Bulletin
|March 21, 1998
Summary
Family stigma affects relatives of psychiatric patients, with many concealing mental illness. Factors like living situation and illness severity influence these reactions, highlighting the need for family support in mental healthcare.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Sociology
- Mental Health Research
Background:
- Stigma towards individuals with mental illness is well-documented.
- Emerging research indicates that stigma also negatively impacts families of psychiatric patients.
- Empirical data on family stigma remains limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the perceptions and reactions to stigma among family members of first-admission psychiatric patients.
- To identify factors associated with family stigma.
Main Methods:
- Survey of 156 parents and spouses of first-admission psychiatric patients.
- Analysis of self-reported perceptions of stigma and concealment of mental illness.
- Examination of relationships between illness characteristics, family social characteristics, and levels of stigma.
Main Results:
- Most family members did not report being avoided by others.
- Half of the family members concealed the psychiatric hospitalization to some extent.
- Family stigma was associated with living situation, patient's gender, symptom severity, family education, and recency of illness episode.
Conclusions:
- Family members experience and react to stigma associated with a relative's mental illness.
- Concealment of mental illness is a common reaction.
- Illness and family characteristics significantly influence the level of experienced stigma.