Journal List > J Korean Acad Nurs > v.42(2) > 1002799

Hyun, Kim, Kang, and Nam: The Lived Experience of Stigma among Mentally Ill Persons

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore the subjective experiences of stigma among mentally ill persons.

Methods

Phenomenological methodology was used for the study. Participants were twelve people with mental illness enrolled at the S community mental health center in GyeongGi-Do. Data were collected via in-depth interviews from August 30 to October 1, 2010 and analyzed using Colaizzi's framework.

Results

Four themes and sixteen formulated meanings were identified for the stigma experiences of participants with mental illness. The four themes were 'Incapable of struggling against unfair treatment', 'Living as an outsider', 'Being constrained by oneself', 'Being in suspense over disclosure of oneself'.

Conclusion

The results from this study underscore the need for an educational and awareness programs to reduce public stigma among the general population and self-stigma among people with mental illness. In addition, efforts are also needed to prioritize mental illness stigma as a major public health issue at the government and community level.

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Formulated Meanings and Themes
jkan-42-226-i001

Notes

This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology(2010-0006812).

References

1. Angermeyer M.C., Beck M., Dietrich S., Holzinger A. The stigma of mental illness: Patients' anticipations and experiences. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. 2004. 50:153–162. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0020764004043115.
2. Angermeyer M.C., Matschinger H., Riedel-Heller S.G. Whom to ask for help in case of mental disorder? Preferences of the lay public. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 1999. 34:202–210. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s001270050134.
3. Bonner L., Barr W., Hoskins A. Using primary care-based mental health registers to reduce social exclusion in patients with severe mental illness. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2002. 9:585–593. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2850.2002.00514.x.
4. Chernomas W.M., Clarke D.E., Chisholm F.A. Perspectives ofwomen living with schizophrenia. Psychiatric Services. 2000. 51:1517–1521. http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.51.12.1517.
5. Colaizzi P.F. Valle R., King M, editors. Psychological research as the phenomenologist views it. Existential phenomenological alternatives for psychology. 1978. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
6. Corrigan P.W., Rowan D., Green A., Lundin R., River P., Uphoff-Wasowski K., et al. Challenging two mental illness stigmas: Personal responsibility and dangerousness. Schizophrenia Bulletin. 2002. 28:293–309. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.schbul.a006939.
7. Corrigan P.W., Slopen N., Gracia G., Phelan S., Keogh C.B., Keck L. Some recovery processes in mutual-help groups for persons with mental illness;II: Qualitative analysis of participant interviews. Community Mental Health Journal. 2005. 41:721–735. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10597-005-6429-0.
8. Han K., Kim S., Lee M. Factors affecting stigma of schizophrenic patient. Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association. 2002. 41:1185–1196.
9. Kim C. Korean society and mental illness. Contemporary Criticism. 2001. 17:222–242.
10. Kim C., Seo M. A study on prejudice and discrimination against the mentally ill. Korean Journal of Health Psychology. 2004. 9:589–607.
11. Lee E.H., Kim K.J., Lee S.Y. The attitudes of the inhabitants of Kwangju towards the persons with mental illness. Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association. 2000. 39:495–506.
12. Liggins J., Hatcher S. Stigma toward the mentally ill in the general hospital: A qualitative study. General Hospital Psychiatry. 2005. 27:359–364. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2005.05.006.
13. Lincoln Y.S., Guba E.G. Naturalistic inquiry. 1991. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
14. Link B.G., Phelan J.C. Conceptualizing stigma. Annual Review of Sociology. 2001. 27:363–385. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.27.1.363.
15. Link B.G., Struening E.L., Neese-Todd S., Asmussen S., Phelan J.C. Stigma as a barrier to recovery: The consequences of stigma for the self-esteem of people with mental illnesses. Psychiatric Services. 2001. 52:1621–1626. http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.52.12.1621.
16. Livingston J.D., Boyd J.E. Correlates and consequences of internalized stigma for people living with mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Social Science and Medicine. 2010. 71:2150–2161. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.09.030.
17. Loganathan S., Murthy S.R. Experiences of stigma and discrimination endured by people suffering from schizophrenia. Indian Journal of Psychiatry. 2008. 50:39–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.39758.
18. Lundberg B., Hansson L., Wentz E., Björkman T. Are stigma experiences among persons with mental illness, related to perceptions of self-esteem, empowerment and sense of coherence? Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2009. 16:516–522. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2850.2009.01418.x.
19. Park S. Study on social integration of persons with mental illness. Journal of Social Research. 2010. 11:79–108.
20. Penn D.L., Martin J. The stigma of severe mental illness: Some potential solutions for a recalcitrant problem. Psychiatric Quarterly. 1998. 69:235–247. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1022153327316.
21. Phillips M.R., Pearson V., Li F., Xu M., Yang L. Stigma and expressed emotion: A study of people with schizophrenia and their familymembers in China. The British Journal of Psychiatry. 2002. 181:488–493. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.181.6.488.
22. Pickens J.M. Living with serious mental illness: The desire for normalcy. Nursing Science Quarterly. 1999. 12:233–239. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/08943189922107007.
23. Sanseeha L., Chontawan R., Sethabouppha H., Disayavanish C., Turale S. Illness perspectives of Thais diagnosed with schizophrenia. Nursing and Health Sciences. 2009. 11:306–311. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-2018.2009.00474.x.
24. Schulze B., Angermeyer M.C. Subjective experiences of stigma. A focus group study of schizophrenic patients, their relatives and mental health professionals. Social Science and Medicine. 2003. 56:299–312. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(02)00028-X.
25. Seo M. The assurance on human rights of the mentally ill of New Zealand: Focused on involuntary admission and social discrimination. Mental Health & Social Work. 2007. 27:64–91.
26. Seo M., Kim C. Effects of perceived stigma on life satisfaction and self-esteem of the mental illness. Korean Journal of Social Welfare. 2004. 56:173–194.
27. Sung K.H. Self-perceived stigma, self-efficacy, and quality of life in psychiatric outpatients. Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research. 2009. 15:127–138.
28. Streubert H.J., Carpenter D.R. Qualitative research in nursing. 1999. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Lippincott.
29. Wright E.R., Gronfein W.P., Owens T.J. Deinstitutionalization, social rejection, and the self-esteem of former mental patients. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. 2000. 41:68–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2676361.
TOOLS
Similar articles