Psychology Commons^™

Stigma And Anxiety As Barriers To Help-Seeking Among University Of Richmond Students, Allison Walters

Honors Theses

There is a growing need for mental health services in the United States due to increased rates of psychopathology. Emerging adults, ages ranging from 18 to 24 years, experience high rates of psychopathology and thus have a strong need for available mental health treatments (Eisenberg et al., 2007). Despite this need and the efficacy of mental health treatment as a whole, there are many barriers to treatment utilization, including stigma. This study examines level of anxiety and stigma as barriers to help-seeking using data collected through the Healthy Minds Survey at the University of Richmond. Moderation analyses revealed that anxiety …

Shifting Weight Attitudes? A Look At Stigma And Implicit Bias, Carolyn H. Decicco, Sarah L. Capen-Becerra, Sophie K. Louis

Psychology Presentations

The goal of the current study is to investigate students’ perceptions of controllability and biases against individuals who smoke and individuals who present as ‘overweight’ in the workplace. Participants (N = 69) were randomly assigned to read an article describing either weight-based (n = 35) or smoking-based discrimination in the workplace (n = 34). Participants were tasked with writing open-ended responses to the articles. Participants in the smoking group were more likely to endorse (n = 16; 47.1%) discriminatory workplace practices than those in the weight group (n = 4; 11.4%), who showed more conflicted justification responses (weight n = …

Making Mental Health Information Accessible To Latinxs Through The Use Of Internet Forums, April Martinez

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

This study was conducted to explore the use of Internet memes as a way to address mental health stigma within the Latinx community. The study measured participants’ mental health prejudice both before and after exposure to a series of memes over a two-week span. The control group was shown memes that did not relate to mental health and the experimental group was shown mental health memes. The results were analyzed both quantitatively, for significant between group differences in posttest prejudice, and qualitatively for emerging themes in the participants’ comments on the memes. Results showed no significant decrease of stigma between …

The Influence Of Integrated Behavioral Health Primary Care Setting On The Utilization Of Mental Health Services And Depression Treatment Response Among Men, Tendai Masiriri

Dissertations

The 2010-2013 National Health Interview Survey showed that nearly 9% of men had daily feelings of anxiety or depression, yet less than 41% sought help for their symptoms (Blumberg et al., 2016). Men are more reluctant than women to seek help (Angst et al., 2002; Brownhill et al., 2005). The failure to seek help among men is associated with multiple factors related to stigma and gender, yet male suicide rates are approximately 3-5 times higher than their female counterparts. However, they have a higher likelihood of seeking help from a medical provider rather than a mental health provider. If men …

A Resilience-Based Intervention To Mitigate The Effect Of Hiv-Related Stigma: Protocol For A Stepped Wedge Cluster Randomized Trial, Xiaoming Li, Shan Qiao, Xueying Yang, Sayward Harrison, Cheuk Chi Tam, Zhiyong Shen, Yuejiao Zhou

Faculty Publications

Background: Despite decades of global efforts to tackle HIV-related stigma, previous interventions designed to reduce stigma have had limited effects that were typically in the small- to-moderate range. The knowledge gaps and challenges for combating HIV-related stigma are rooted both in the complexity of the stigma and in the limitations of current conceptualizations of stigma reduction efforts. Recent research has shown the promise of resilience-based approaches that focus on the development of strengths, competencies, resources, and capacities of people living with HIV (PLWH) and their key supporting systems (e.g., family members and healthcare providers) to prevent, reduce, and mitigate the …

Barriers To Mental Health Help-Seeking Among The Latinx Population In The United States: Primary Care, Family Influences, And Cultural Stigmas, Taylor Percival

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores the disparity between the incidence of mental illness and help-seeking and resource utilization among the Latinx population. Research supports that the incidence of mental health issues is as high among this population as it is among any other, but help-seeking behaviors and resource utilization among this population are significantly lower. It is proposed that this difference is caused by family influence, cultural stigma, and lack of access to education and resources. Based on these factors, this thesis will discuss potential solutions that are culturally appropriate and empirically supported. These include family support interventions (psychoeducation, family-centered treatments, and …

Society’S Responsibility To Prevent Rising Mental Illness In Youth, Spencer Smith

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

The increasing rates of mental illness in the world is becoming an issue that has been ignored for too long. Stigma and ableism, “discrimination against individuals with disabilities or the tendency to be prejudiced against and to stereotype them negatively,” are contributing factors to the delay of seeking mental health treatment and worse prognosis (VandenBos & American Psychological Association, 2007). Preventing mental illness in youth requires changes in education. By increasing education at school, from parents, and understanding personal responsibility, it may be possible to prevent or mitigate mental illness development. Though there seems to be no one best practice …

Causal Attribution, Personal Responsibility, And Regret In Lung Cancer Survivors, Justin Ulland, Anthony Cortez-Morales, Kevin R. Criswell

2022 Symposium

Introduction: Lung cancer is the second-most common cancer for males and females and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Ninety percent of lung cancer cases are associated with a smoking history. Less is known about (a) how lung cancer survivors with and without smoking histories attribute their cancer to secondhand smoke and (b) how those attributions may be associated with personal responsibility, regret, and stigma from medical staff/professionals. This secondary data analytic study examined 196 lung cancer survivors.

Method: Paper surveys included (a) whether secondhand smoking caused their cancer, (b) whether they perceived control …

How Positive And Negative Emotions Are Regulated By And Associated With Stigma In University Students With And Without Mental And Physical Chronic Health Conditions, Katherine Crisp, Zlata Krisyuk, Kevin R. Criswell

2022 Symposium

Introduction: Over one-third of undergraduate students report having at least one mental or physical chronic health condition (CHC). Stigma is associated with undesirable emotion/mood, worse quality of life, and diminished academic performance. Less is known about (a) whether emotional experiences may be regulated differently between students with and without CHCs and (b) whether negative and positive emotion regulation are differentially associated with stigma awareness and internalized stigma in students with CHCs. The present study examines cross-sectional survey data from Fall 2020 quarter.

Method: Students without CHCs (n = 51) and students with CHCs (n = 150) …

A Re-Evaluation Of Stuart's Police Officer Stigma Scale, Zachery D. Burzee

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Stigma about mental illness is often identified as one of the most prominent obstacles to seeking mental health services. This seems to be particularly true among first responders. Unfortunately, the research regarding stigma in first responders is lacking. This may be due, in part, to the absence of appropriate measurement tools to allow such research. Stuart’s Police Officer Stigma Scale (POSS) has recently been developed to address this issue, but its psychometric properties have gone largely untested. Therefore, this study sought to identify the underlying factor structure and internal consistency of the POSS. This paper used a sample of one …

Exploring The Intersections Of Stigma And Masculinity In The Illness Perceptions Of Men Living With Fibromyalgia: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Christine L. Motzny

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fibromyalgia is a musculoskeletal condition characterized by widespread pain, fatigue and cognitive problems. While it affects between 2-7% percent of the population in the United States, the biopsychosocial impacts of the disease on the lives of those affected are so substantial that it is considered to have one of the highest cost burdens comparative to other chronic pain conditions. Fibromyalgia has historically been deemed a contested illness due to the complexity of its presentation and lack of clear etiology. As a result, people with fibromyalgia often feel misunderstood and stigmatized. Like other pain conditions, fibromyalgia is more commonly diagnosed in …

Impact Of Upper Limb Amputation And Prostheses On Disability Stigma, Tal Minks

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study was conducted to examine the perception of others towards individuals with upper limb amputation and to determine how their ratings were affected by the presence of a prosthesis. The survey included 469 participants from a university in the southeastern United States. Participants read a brief background scenario and then rated pictured individuals with or without amputation, and with and without prostheses. Our assumption was that if one type of image was rated more negatively than others, this discrepancy would quantify stigma and stereotype. After viewing the images, participants rated several attributes associated with disability stereotypes and perceived functional …

Investigation On How Access To Insurance And Different Mental Health Services Impact Stigmatized Beliefs On Mental Health, Ashley Rossi, Barbie Hubner, Jordan Sferrazza

The Graduate Review

The current study aimed to investigate how access to insurance impacts mental health-related stigma and help-seeking attitudes, along with public and self-stigmatized views on seeking professional mental health services. Participants (N = 192) were recruited via Bridgewater State University Student Announcements and through convenience sampling. Individuals completed a survey consisting of five self-created questions and three different scales related to insurance coverage, mental health services, stigma, and help-seeking attitudes. We expected to find those with public insurance coverage would have higher self-stigmatized beliefs and lower help-seeking attitudes, but this hypothesis was not supported. We also expected that those with …

Observing The Relationship Between Health Locus Of Control And Help-Seeking Attitudes: A Multicultural Perspective, Jaymmy Cruz Matias, Erica A. English, Alan J. Stamper

The Graduate Review

Prior research has suggested that race/ethnicity and health locus of control (LOC) have an impact on mental health help-seeking attitudes. We investigated the relationship between these variables by administering a survey to 197 participants. We also explored the relationship between passive or active spiritual LOC and help-seeking attitudes. We found that White participants were more likely to seek out psychological help from primary care physicians, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals compared to all other ethnic groups, which supported our second hypothesis. Also, all other ethnic groups were more likely to seek out spiritual help for psychological issues compared to …

Stigma And Criminalization Of Mental Health In An Inpatient Versus Jail Setting, Zachary C. B. Dumay, Jessica T. Harnais, Christina M. Cerminara

The Graduate Review

Stigmatization is the perceived, negative stereotype assigned to a group of individuals. This stigmatization has contributed to the criminalization of mental health, meaning that individuals with mental health issues are more likely to be arrested for behaviors that are not criminal. This project examines mental health stigma toward an individual in a psychiatric setting and a correctional setting. We hypothesized that when reading a vignette about an individual experiencing a mental health crisis, participants will stigmatize them more if they are incarcerated than if they are in a psychiatric facility. Results showed that participants exhibited a higher level of discrimination …

The Effects Of Personalization On Homelessness Stigma, Kalie Leon

UNF Undergraduate Capstone Projects and Honors Theses

Previous research has suggested those in stigmatized groups experience status loss, social rejection, and dehumanization. The homeless population, in particular, has also been perceived as the ones to blame for their current situation. Using the homeless population as the stigmatized group, the current study investigated whether personalizing people in stigmatized groups leads to differences in attitudes of them. Participants consisted of 148 undergraduate students enrolled in psychology courses from the University of North Florida. Via Qualtrics, participants were randomly assigned to a vignette that either included general information about a homeless man or one with more personal details such as …

Stigma, Health, And Academic Performance In University Students With Physical And Mental Chronic Health Conditions: Baseline Data Report, Kevin R. Criswell

Psychology Faculty Publications

While physical and mental chronic health conditions (CHCs) may be rising in university populations and are associated with diminished health and academic performance, less is known about how students with co-occurring mental and physical CHCs compare to students with only physical and only mental CHCs on stigma, health, and academic performance. This cross-sectional study of 201 university students examined Fall 2020 baseline data from a longitudinal investigation of the effects of stigma on health and academic performance in university students with CHCs. When compared to students with physical CHCs, students with both mental and physical CHCs reported higher levels of …

"Stay Strong": Internalized Stigma, Religiosity And Black Mental Health In Colorado, Breigh Jones-Coplin

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

While the societal stigma on mental illness deters people from seeking mental health services, there is limited research on how Black personality and cultural practices may impact stigma and Black mental health (NAMI, 2020). In an attempt to identify protective and risk factors for internalized stigma and Black mental health, the present study examined 416 Black adults in Colorado and identified significant relationships between African Self-Consciousness, internalized stigma of mental illness, religiosity, and mental health functioning. Results showed that having a strong African-centered identity and religious grounding are associated with less internalized stigma and difficulty in functioning and mental health …

It Takes Two: Professional Interconnections And Potential Collaborations Between Small-Town Family Attorneys And Couple/Family Therapists, Wendy Lenk Mcclary

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Attorneys who specialize in family practice may experience significant rates of mood disorders and substance reliance. Law schools typically do not provide supportive coursework or mentoring to help students learn to manage their feelings and those of crisis-impacted clients. Lawyers may well consider that understanding emotional needs and providing emotional support does not fall within their codes of practice. Societal stigma may prevent family attorneys and their clients from seeking therapy. Small-town attorneys may be particularly vulnerable to professional stress and safety concerns. The purpose of this study was to explore and understand the lived experiences of family attorneys practicing …

Commending Rather Than Condemning: Moral Elevation And Stigma For Male Veterans With Military Sexual Trauma, Gracie Staley, Ana Clara Vieira Zaidan, Lucas G. Childers, Ray Daniel, Sean A. Lauderdale, Adam P. Mcguire

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

Using an experimental study, we examined the link between state moral elevation and stigmatic beliefs surrounding male veterans with military sexual trauma (MST).

Methods

Undergraduate students were presented with a video or written narrative of a male veteran self-disclosing how they struggled with and overcame MST (n = 292). Participants completed measures regarding trait and demographic characteristics at baseline, then measures immediately after the disclosure stimulus to assess immediate elevation and stigma-related reactions.

Results

Results suggest state-level elevation in response to a veteran self-disclosing their experience with MST was negatively correlated with harmful stigmatic beliefs about MST. A …

Predictors Of Mental Health Help-Seeking In Alaska Native Communities, Jorene Volkheimer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons have been identified as a group with greater risk for transgenerational trauma; furthermore, they experience environmental, systemic, and pragmatic barriers to treatment for mental and social issues. Researchers have called for more studies of groups like AI/AN to better understand the complex social, interpersonal, and intrapersonal problems involved in accessing and using mental health services. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive relationships of demographics, transgenerational trauma, locus of control, and stigma on help-seeking and use of mental health services in the AI/AN population in a quantitative study. The developmentally based trauma …

Mental Health In The Courtroom: How Victim Mental Illness Impacts Juror Decision-Making In A Rape Case, Mary M. Levi

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The influence of mental illness on jury decision-making has rarely been investigated, and even fewer studies have examined how jurors perceive a victim with mental illness. The present study investigated the effect of victim mental illness on jury decision-making in a rape trial using a 3 (victim mental health status: schizophrenia, depression, no illness) x 2 (participant gender: female, male) between-subjects design. I hypothesized that mock jurors would render fewer guilty verdicts in the schizophrenia condition compared to the depression condition, and render fewer guilty verdicts in the schizophrenia and depression conditions compared to the control. I also hypothesized that …

A Room With A View: Experiences Of Moms Off Meth Using Heuristic Inquiry, Joey Leigh Gude

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Methamphetamine related consequences continue to darken many families and communities. Multiple service provider types are often overburdened in dealing with the reality of methamphetamine misuse (Brownstein et al., 2012). This research explored the impact of the methamphetamine epidemic with a specific focus on mothers with methamphetamine addiction. Mothers present with a myriad of challenges, and inadequate contextual information exists to address these challenges (Alexander et al., 2018; Bathish et al., 2017; Cunningham & Finlay, 2013). This qualitative heuristic inquiry sought to illuminate experiences of methamphetamine addiction in mothers. The qualitative research questions sought to give a voice to the lived …

Implication Of Stigmatization On Investors Financial Risk Tolerance: The Case Of Gay Men, Francisca M. Beer, Joseph D. Wellman

Faculty and Student Publications

This study evaluates whether the salience of discrimination and perceived stigmatization influence gay men's financial risk tolerance (FRT). This evaluation is conducted using the FRT measure of Grable and Lytton (1999), a “two-study ruse” approach and a hierarchical linear regression model. The findings show that individuals with anticipated stigmatization, after being exposed to information about bias against their community, exhibited greater FRT. These results support the hypothesis that risk-taking behavior by members of stigmatized populations increases when they experience discrimination.

Stigma And Social-Emotional Health In Youth With Learning Differences, Kelsey Maki

Doctoral Dissertations

Youth diagnosed with specific learning disorder (SLD) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), defined collectively for the purposes of this study as youth with learning differences, experience poorer social-emotional health outcomes in comparison to their typically developing peers. These youth additionally experience stigma from their peers, teachers, and broader community, which may impact social-emotional health. As a secondary data analysis of a larger study, the present study investigated the role of stigma consciousness alongside demographic variables, self-esteem, and peer relationships in social-emotional health outcomes. Due to the possible differences between youth diagnosed with SLD, ADHD, and comorbid SLD/ADHD, group differences …

Compassion For Self-Identity: An Evaluation Of A Compassion-Based Intervention For Stigmatized Sexual Identities, Du T. Nguyen

Dissertations

Sexual minority persons often experience notable negative mental and physical health disparities when compared to their heterosexual counterparts. According to the minority stress framework, it is posited that these discrepancies are due to additional, group-specific stressors that they experience beyond stress felt by the general population. One such minority stress variable that has received considerable attention is sexual stigma. Not only has sexual stigmatization been found to be related to negative mental and physical health outcomes, it has also previously been found to hinder adaptive emotion regulation.

Due to the minority stress felt by sexual minority persons, there is a …

Integrating Minority Stress Theory Into Suicide Risk Models For Sexual Minority Women, Meredith Ballard Whitfield

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Suicide remains the 10th leading cause of death in the United States in which there is a large disparity in prevalence of suicide ideation and attempts among sexual minority individuals and heterosexual counterparts. Furthermore, it has been established that sexual minority women are at increased risk of suicidality even when compared to sexual minority men. Despite this large disparity in suicidal behavior, there is a dearth of research dedicated to assessing negative mental health outcomes in sexual minority women. Although the common theoretical model of suicide (IPTS) hypothesizes that one must have neglected interpersonal psychological needs and acquired capability, further …

Theory Of Mind, Social Relationship Perception And Stigma Experiences In Individuals At Clinical High-Risk For Psychosis, Francesca Maria Crump

Theses and Dissertations

The clinical high-risk (CHR) state for psychosis has been established in order to prevent the transition to full psychosis; however, demonstrates a high false positive rate (Fusar-Poli et al., 2012). Consequently, many CHR individuals may face increased labeling and symptom-related stigmatization through accessing early intervention services (Yang et al., 2015). As a result, CHR individuals may employ negative coping responses (Link et al., 1989) and exhibit increased social preoccupation in order to help conceal their mental health status (Link et al., 2015), which may hinder social cognitive ability and have lasting impacts on social functioning. This study aimed to delineate …

Guilt By Obesity: A Closer Look At Obesity Stigmas, Loriana Goulding

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Obesity stigmas have led to an increased interest in the body-positivity movement in recent years. However, despite the decreasing discrimination and shaming of the obese, many people still consciously and unconsciously adhere to obesity stigmas and myths. These false beliefs are harmful not only to obese individuals but also to society, given that over 1/3 of the U.S. adult population is now obese (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). These stigmas can be especially harmful to obese individuals who are victims of wrongdoings and to obese individuals who are accused of a wrongdoing (Yamawaki, Riley, Rasmussen, & Cook, 2018). …

Isolating Abortion Stigma From Women Who Have Had Abortions: A Look At Undergraduate Students At A Christian University, Mikayla Granger

Senior Honors Theses

Abortion has been subject to stigma due to violating cultural ideals of womanhood, sexism, attribution of personhood to the fetus, legal restrictions, perception as a dirty procedure, the pro-life community, being underreported, and religious beliefs. In order to cope with stigma-induced distress, individuals often resort to secrecy. Stigmatized women concealing their abortion may suppress thoughts about the abortion, leading them to suffer from obsessive and intrusive thoughts that repeatedly reappear simply because they are unwanted. Because of this harmful cycle, it is imperative that individuals understand the distinction between stigma towards abortion and post-abortive women. The current study examines the …