Week 2: Stigma and Mental Health Flashcards
What is Stigma according to Erving Goffman’s Theory of Social Stigma?
It is an attribute, behaviour, or reputation which is socially discrediting in a particular way.
It causes an individual to be mentally classified by others in an undesirable, rejected stereotype rather than in an accepted, normal one.
What are the potential results of internalized stigma for people with mental illness/es?
- Accept discrediting prejudice against them
- Lose self-esteem
- Feelings of shame
- Sense of alienation
- Social withdrawal
What is Aetiology?
It is the study of the causes of diseases or disorders.
It involves investigating the factors that contribute to the development and progression of a particular condition.
Why was the introduction of the Lunacy Commissioners’ coding schemes relevant in the early to Mid-20th century?
This marked a move from anecdotal observation to the systematic classification of mental disorders and its proven or suspected causes.
What is the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)?
It is a globally used medical classification system developed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
What changes did the ICD-based system implement in the Mid-20th Century to the 1980s?
- Departure from cause and effect dichotomies
- Increasing recognition of varied causes of mental distress
- Efforts to classify new diagnoses
What happened in the late 20th Century to the present?
- “Commodification of the psyche” (Darian Leader)
- Biopsychosocial Model
- Superficial states like, ‘shyness’ have been pathologized as defining disorders
- DSM-V publication has reignited the debate in recent years
It encompasses problems of knowledge (ignorance), attitudes (prejudice), and behaviour (discrimination).
Stigma
Surveys designed to measure people’s attitudes towards a particular topic.
Attitude surveys
Laws and regulations that protect the rights of individuals with disabilities.
Disability Rights Policy
Programs or strategies designed to address a particular problem or issue.
Interventions
What are the 5 limitations of Stigma Research?
1) Lack of connection to legislation
2) Descriptive focus
3) Limited service user involvement
4) Pessimistic view of change
5) De-emphasis on cultural factors, and issues related to human rights and social structures
What are recognized cultural and socioeconomic influences on stigma?
1) Notions of “mental illness” and explanatory models
2) Cultural meanings of impairments and manifestations
3) Concepts of self and personhood
What are examples of anti-stigma programs?
- Public Awareness Campaigns
- Social Interaction (Service Users and Non)
- Education
- Responsible Media Reporting
- Annual Events (Mental Health Awareness Week)
- Celebrity Advocates
- Real-life testimonies and case studies
What are suggestions for psychiatric reforms?
1) Improving doctor attitudes and doctor-patient relationships
2) Increasing the profile of psychiatry
3) Reducing emphasis on the biomedical model
