TY - JOUR

T1 - Internalised stigma in mental health

T2 - an investigation of the role of attachment style

AU - Bradstreet, Simon

AU - Dodd, Alyson

AU - Jones, Steven

N1 - This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Psychiatry Research. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Psychiatry Research, 270, 2018 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.03.047

PY - 2018/12

Y1 - 2018/12

N2 - Internalised stigma is associated with a range of negative outcomes, yet little is known about what determines the internalisation of stigma. In this study we examined the potential role of adult attachment style in the internalisation process in a transdiagnostic sample of adults with experience of recent mental health service use (n = 122), using an online survey. Associations between internalised stigma and perceived public stigma were tested. We also examined whether anxious and avoidant (insecure) attachment styles were positively associated with a significant amount of variance in internalised stigma when controlling for other variables, and whether the relationship between perceived public stigma and internalised stigma was moderated by anxious and avoidant attachment. We found that internalised stigma, perceived public stigma and insecure attachment were commonly reported and that internalised stigma was positively associated with perceived public stigma. However, neither anxious or avoidant attachment were associated with a significant amount of variance in internalised stigma and we found no moderating effect on the relationship between perceived public stigma and internalised stigma for insecure attachment. Despite mixed results, the strength of association between anxious attachment and internalised stigma suggests further research, which addresses some limitations of the current study, is warranted.

AB - Internalised stigma is associated with a range of negative outcomes, yet little is known about what determines the internalisation of stigma. In this study we examined the potential role of adult attachment style in the internalisation process in a transdiagnostic sample of adults with experience of recent mental health service use (n = 122), using an online survey. Associations between internalised stigma and perceived public stigma were tested. We also examined whether anxious and avoidant (insecure) attachment styles were positively associated with a significant amount of variance in internalised stigma when controlling for other variables, and whether the relationship between perceived public stigma and internalised stigma was moderated by anxious and avoidant attachment. We found that internalised stigma, perceived public stigma and insecure attachment were commonly reported and that internalised stigma was positively associated with perceived public stigma. However, neither anxious or avoidant attachment were associated with a significant amount of variance in internalised stigma and we found no moderating effect on the relationship between perceived public stigma and internalised stigma for insecure attachment. Despite mixed results, the strength of association between anxious attachment and internalised stigma suggests further research, which addresses some limitations of the current study, is warranted.

KW - Internalised stigma

KW - Self stigma

KW - Mental illness

KW - Attachment

KW - Adult attachment style

U2 - 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.03.047

DO - 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.03.047

M3 - Journal article

VL - 270

SP - 1001

EP - 1009

JO - Psychiatry Research

JF - Psychiatry Research

SN - 0165-1781

ER -