A Qualitative Study Into the Relative Stigmatization of Mental Illness by Mental Health Professionals

Bibliographic Data

ID4643116
AuthorsMichael Jauch (0000-0003-2793-106X, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, corresponding author), Stefano Occhipinti (0000-0002-2558-0609, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia), Analise O’donovan (0000-0002-0776-0956, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia), Bonnie Clough, Bonnie A Clough (0000-0002-8556-4360, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia)
Year2024
Volume34
Issue13
Pages1326-1338
Publication date2024-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueQualitative Health Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1049-7323 • E-ISSN: 1552-7557
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/10497323241238618
PMID38768408
OpenAlexW4398133245
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited43

Mental health professionals stigmatize mental illness, which has significant ramifications for public health and policy. Within this domain, there is a lack of comprehensive research on relative stigma, emotions, and behaviors and an absence of literature that can guide research on these topics. The current study sought to address these limitations. Unstructured interviews were conducted with 22 mental health professionals, and data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. The current study identified a collection of mental disorders (e.g., borderline personality disorder), stereotypes (e.g., dangerousness), emotion-related responses (e.g., fear), and behaviors (e.g., helping) as being key to the relative stigmatization of mental illness by mental health professionals. The results also suggested that professional context and familiarity with mental illness decrease the stigmatization of mental illness by mental health professionals. These variables and constructs were combined to form a grounded theory of mental health professionals stigmatizing mental illness. The current study has implications for the direction of future research on the stigmatization of mental illness by mental health professionals and interventions that strive to mitigate this type of stigmatization

Grounded theory · Mental health · Mental health law · Mental illness · Middle Eastern Mental Health Issues & Syndromes · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Qualitative research · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Clinical Psychology · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Psychology · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies

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