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Being treated differently: Stigma experiences with family, peers, and school staff among adolescents with mental health disorders

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  • Moses, Tally

Abstract

Stigma directed at adolescents diagnosed with emotional and behavioral disorders by individuals in their interpersonal network likely undermines their wellbeing, yet little is known about their subjective stigma experiences. In particular, the prospect of diagnosed youth experiencing prejudice and discrimination by family members has not previously been examined. This study examines adolescents' perceptions of being treated 'differently' because of mental health problems by family members, peers, and school staff. Qualitative analysis of narratives from mixed method interviews with 56 adolescents in a mid-western US city demonstrated variation in the perceived extent and nature of stigma and in contextual factors perceived as promoting or protecting from stigmatization, depending on the interpersonal domain. The greatest number of participants experienced stigmatization in relationships with peers (62%); this often led to friendship losses and transitions. Participants reporting no peer stigmatization often reported socializing with others "in the same boat" or concealing problems--methods of avoiding potentially stigmatizing interactions. Close to half (46%) described experiencing stigmatization by family members, which often took the form of unwarranted assumptions, distrust, avoidance, pity, and gossip. About one third (35%) of participants reported stigma perpetrated by school staff, who expressed fear, dislike, avoidance, and under-estimation of their abilities. Fortunately, 22% reported "different" treatment by school staff, but this treatment was interpreted as positive and supportive. Results showed that perceived stigmatization in one domain was associated with perceived stigma in other domains. The results suggest that efforts to combat stigmatization of youth with mental health disorders must help family members, peers, and school staff overcome their inclinations to make negative assumptions and discriminate against these youth.

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  • Moses, Tally, 2010. "Being treated differently: Stigma experiences with family, peers, and school staff among adolescents with mental health disorders," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(7), pages 985-993, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:70:y:2010:i:7:p:985-993
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    Cited by:

    1. Persson, Petra & Qiu, Xinyao & Rossin-Slater, Maya, 2021. "Family Spillover Effects of Marginal Diagnoses: The Case of ADHD," IZA Discussion Papers 14020, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Persson, Petra & Qiu, Xinyao & Rossin-Slater, Maya, 2021. "Family Spillover Effects of Marginal Diagnoses: The Case of ADHD," CEPR Discussion Papers 15660, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Jill Furzer & Elizabeth Dhuey & Audrey Laporte, 2022. "ADHD misdiagnosis: Causes and mitigators," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(9), pages 1926-1953, September.
    4. Pinto-Foltz, Melissa D. & Logsdon, M. Cynthia & Myers, John A., 2011. "Feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a knowledge-contact program to reduce mental illness stigma and improve mental health literacy in adolescents," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(12), pages 2011-2019, June.
    5. Hannes Schwandt & Amelie Wuppermann, 2015. "The youngest Get the Pill: ADHD Misdiagnosis and the Production of Education in Germany," CEP Discussion Papers dp1394, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    6. Baumann, Chris & Timming, Andrew R. & Gollan, Paul J., 2016. "Taboo tattoos? A study of the gendered effects of body art on consumers' attitudes toward visibly tattooed front line staff," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 31-39.
    7. Fumarco, Luca & Baert, Stijn, 2019. "Relative age effect on European adolescents’ social network," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 318-337.
    8. Moses, Tally, 2014. "Determinants of mental illness stigma for adolescents discharged from psychiatric hospitalization," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 26-34.
    9. Brielle Bryan, 2017. "Paternal Incarceration and Adolescent Social Network Disadvantage," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 54(4), pages 1477-1501, August.
    10. Saunders, Vicky, 2018. "What does your dad do for a living? Children of prisoners and their experiences of stigma," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 21-27.
    11. Ferrie, Jamie & Miller, Hannah & Hunter, Simon C., 2020. "Psychosocial outcomes of mental illness stigma in children and adolescents: A mixed-methods systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    12. Schwandt, Hannes & Wuppermann, Amelie, 2016. "The youngest get the pill: ADHD misdiagnosis in Germany, its regional correlates and international comparison," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 72-86.
    13. Tally Moses, 2015. "Coping strategies and self-stigma among adolescents discharged from psychiatric hospitalization: A 6-month follow-up study," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 61(2), pages 188-197, March.
    14. Gaddis, S. Michael & Ramirez, Daniel & Hernandez, Erik L., 2018. "Contextualizing public stigma: Endorsed mental health treatment stigma on college and university campuses," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 183-191.
    15. O'Connor, Cliodhna & Kadianaki, Irini & Maunder, Kristen & McNicholas, Fiona, 2018. "How does psychiatric diagnosis affect young people's self-concept and social identity? A systematic review and synthesis of the qualitative literature," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 94-119.
    16. Jan-Hinrich Meyer & Ko Ruyter & Dhruv Grewal & Kathleen Cleeren & Debbie Isobel Keeling & Scott Motyka, 2020. "Categorical versus dimensional thinking: improving anti-stigma campaigns by matching health message frames and implicit worldviews," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 48(2), pages 222-245, March.
    17. Tally Moses, 2015. "What helps or undermines adolescents’ anticipated capacity to cope with mental illness stigma following psychiatric hospitalization," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 61(3), pages 215-224, May.
    18. Villagrana, Margarita & Guillen, Cindy & Macedo, Vanessa & Lee, Sei-Young, 2018. "Perceived self-stigma in the utilization of mental health services in foster care and post foster care among foster care alumni," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 26-34.
    19. Minna Anttila & Milla Ylitalo & Marjo H. Kurki & Kirsi Hipp & Maritta Välimäki, 2020. "School Nurses’ Perceptions, Learning Needs and Developmental Suggestions for Mental Health Promotion: Focus Group Interviews," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-14, December.
    20. Kohrt, Brandon A. & Turner, Elizabeth L. & Rai, Sauharda & Bhardwaj, Anvita & Sikkema, Kathleen J. & Adelekun, Adesewa & Dhakal, Manoj & Luitel, Nagendra P. & Lund, Crick & Patel, Vikram & Jordans, Ma, 2020. "Reducing mental illness stigma in healthcare settings: Proof of concept for a social contact intervention to address what matters most for primary care providers," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    21. Dana Alonzo & Marciana Popescu & Pinar Zubaroglu-Ioannides, 2021. "Training non-mental health professionals to assess and manage suicide risk: Community level intervention for suicide prevention in Guatemala," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 67(6), pages 705-712, September.
    22. Mao-Sheng Ran & Man-Man Peng & Yuen Yum Yau & Tian-Ming Zhang & Xu-Hong Li & Irene Yin Ling Wong & Siuman Ng & Graham Thornicroft & Cecilia Lai-Wan Chan & Lin Lu, 2022. "Knowledge, contact and stigma of mental illness: Comparing three stakeholder groups in Hong Kong," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 68(2), pages 365-375, March.

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