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Perceived Discrimination, Internalized Stigma and Psychological Well-Being of People with Mental Illness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 October 2015

Daniel Pérez-Garín ,
Fernando Molero  and
Arjan E.R. Bos
Daniel Pérez-Garín*
Affiliation:
UNED (Spain)
Fernando Molero
Affiliation:
UNED (Spain)
Arjan E.R. Bos
Affiliation:
Open Universiteit (the Netherlands)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Daniel Pérez-Garín. Departamento de Psicología Social y de las Organizaciones. Facultad de Psicología. C/ Juan del Rosal, 10. 28040. Madrid (Spain). Phone: +34–913988744. E-mail: dperez@madridsur.uned.es
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Abstract

The present study examines the relationships between perceived discrimination, internalized stigma, and well-being in a sample of people with mental illness. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 213 outpatients from the Spanish public network of social care. Perceived discrimination was positively and significantly correlated with internalized stigma (p < .01 for all measures of perceived discrimination). Blatant individual discrimination, subtle individual discrimination, and internalized stigma were negatively correlated with life satisfaction, affect balance, and psychological well-being (p < .01 for all cases, except for blatant individual discrimination and affect balance, for which is p < .05). Regression and mediation analyses indicate that subtle individual discrimination is the kind of discrimination most negatively associated to the well-being measures (life satisfaction: B = –.18, p < .10; affect balance: B = –.19, p < .10; psychological well-being: B = –.21, p < .05), and that this association is mediated by internalized stigma. Future research should confirm these findings in a longitudinal or experimental model. In light of our findings, we suggest the development and implementation of intervention programs that target subtle discrimination, and point at the importance of implementing programs to reduce internalized stigma.

Keywords

stigmadiscriminationwell beingmental health
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 18 , 2015 , E75
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2015 

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