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The stigma of mental illness in children and adolescents: A systematic review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2020

A. Kaushik ,
E. Kostaki ,
S. Fewings ,
G. Thomas  and
M. Kyriakopoulos
A. Kaushik*
Affiliation:
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, London, United Kingdom
E. Kostaki
Affiliation:
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, National & Specialist Acorn Lodge Inpatient Children's Unit, London, United Kingdom
S. Fewings
Affiliation:
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Psychiatry, New York, USA
G. Thomas
Affiliation:
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, National & Specialist Acorn Lodge Inpatient Children's Unit, London, United Kingdom
M. Kyriakopoulos
Affiliation:
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, National & Specialist Acorn Lodge Inpatient Children's Unit, London, United Kingdom King's College London, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
*
* Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

One in ten children and adolescents experience mental health difficulties at any given time, yet only one third of those suffering access treatment. Untreated mental illness predisposes to longstanding individual difficulties, and presents a great public health burden. Large scale initiatives to reduce stigmatization of mental illness in children and adolescents, identified as a key deterrent to treatment, have had limited success, and research is scarce.

Aims

To gain a better understanding of the stigma experienced by children and adolescents with mental health difficulties.

Objectives

We conducted a systematic review of the literature examining stigma and self-stigma towards children and adolescents with mental health difficulties, in order to better understand the extent and type of discrimination directed towards this particularly vulnerable group.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, the databases Pubmed, PsychINFO and Cochrane were searched for original research published between 1980 and 2014, assessing public stigma (i.e. the reaction of the general public) and self-stigma (i.e. internalized public stigma) towards children and adolescents with mental health difficulties.

Results

Thirty-seven studies were identified, confirming that stigmatization towards children and young people suffering mental health difficulties is a universal and disabling problem. There was some variation by diagnosis and gender, and stigmatization was for the most part unaffected by labelling. Self-stigmatization led to more secrecy and avoidance of interventions.

Conclusions

The findings confirm that stigmatization of mental illness is poorly understood due to a lack of evidence and methodological discrepancies. Implications of the findings are discussed, and suggestions made for future research.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Type
EW74
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 33 , Issue S1: Abstracts of the 24th European Congress of Psychiatry , March 2016 , pp. S130
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2016
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