Dissertation
Affiliate Stigma and Empowerment Among Family Members of Individuals with Chronic Psychiatric Conditions
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
01/2019
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/17896
Abstract
The relation between stigma and chronic psychiatric conditions has been well documented. Family stigma, a type of courtesy or associate stigma, and its internalized version, affiliate stigma, have been less examined but are nonetheless recognized. In the United States alone, over four million families are affected by stigma due to their relationship with a family member with a chronic psychiatric condition. Whereas a large effort has been undertaken to better understand and attenuate public stigma related to chronic psychiatric conditions, less research has been conducted to understand how to combat affiliate stigma. Interventions are needed to reduce this type of stigma at an individual level. Increasing family members’ feelings of personal empowerment is one intuitive strategy to reduce affiliate stigma. This goal is also shared among self-help/mutual aid (SHMA) groups, such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), which allows family members of individuals with chronic psychiatric conditions to come together to improve their lives in the face of stigmatization. The current study aimed to examine the differences between participants involved in NAMI and non-NAMI participants on stigma and empowerment as well as other adjustment and functioning variables, including depression and quality of life. Relations among these variables of interest across the sample were also examined. Group differences (NAMI versus non-NAMI) did not definitively emerge on variables of interest. However, when examining across the full sample, results indicated that empowerment was negatively related to affiliate stigma and depression, as well as positively related to quality of life, among family members of individuals with chronic psychiatric conditions. Furthermore, the cognitive component of affiliate stigma was positively related to depression and negatively related to mental quality of life, whereas perceived family stigma was positively related to depression. Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
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Details
- Title
- Affiliate Stigma and Empowerment Among Family Members of Individuals with Chronic Psychiatric Conditions
- Creators
- Sharon Marie Sowell
- Contributors
- Tammy D Barry (Advisor)Walter Scott (Committee Member)Christopher Barry (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Department of Psychology
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 78
- Identifiers
- 99900581614201842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation