Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Jul 13:14:1200568.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1200568. eCollection 2023.

Rate and correlates of self-stigma in adult patients with early psychosis

Ryan Sai Ting Chu  1 , Chung Mun Ng  1 , Sheung Chit Chu  1 , Tsz Ting Lui  1 , Fu Chun Lau  1 , Sherry Kit Wa Chan  1   2 , Edwin Ho Ming Lee  1 , Christy Lai Ming Hui  1 , Eric Yu Hai Chen  1   2 , Simon Sai Yu Lui  1 , Wing Chung Chang  1   2
Affiliations

Rate and correlates of self-stigma in adult patients with early psychosis

Ryan Sai Ting Chu et al. Front Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Introduction: Self-stigma impedes recovery process and is associated with poorer clinical and functional outcomes in people with psychotic disorders. However, there is limited research specifically examining self-stigma in the early stage of illness, and mixed findings were observed regarding factors associated with increased self-stigma. We aimed to investigate the rate and correlates of self-stigma in a cohort of adult patients with early psychosis using a comprehensive array of clinical, treatment and other illness-related variables.

Methods: A total of 101 Chinese adult early psychosis patients aged 26-55 years who had received three-year psychiatric treatment for first psychotic episode in Hong Kong and completed self-stigma assessment were included for the current investigation. A broad range of assessments encompassing socio-demographics, premorbid adjustment, onset and illness profiles, symptom severity, psychosocial functioning, treatment characteristics and medication side-effects were conducted.

Results: Twenty-eight (27.7%) patients had moderate-to-high levels of self-stigma. Univariate linear regression analyses showed that age at study entry, sex, educational level, age at psychosis onset, duration of untreated psychosis (DUP), insight level, global psychosocial functioning, and the use of second-generation antipsychotic were related to self-stigma levels. Final multivariable regression model revealed that female sex, younger age at entry, longer DUP and better insight were independently associated with higher levels of self-stigma.

Conclusion: More than one-fourth of early psychosis patients experienced significant self-stigma, highlighting an unmet need for early detection and intervention of self-stigma in the initial years of illness. Further investigation is warranted to clarify trajectories and predictors of self-stigma in the early illness course.

Keywords: duration of untreated psychosis; early psychosis; insight; internalized stigma; self-stigma.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

References

    1. Link B, Phelan J. Conceptualizing stigma. Annu Rev Sociol. (2001) 27:363–85. 10.1146/annurev.soc.27.1.363 - DOI
    1. Corrigan P, Watson A, Barr L. The self–stigma of mental illness: Implications for self–esteem and self–efficacy. J Soc Clin Psychol. (2006) 25:875–84. 10.1521/jscp.2006.25.8.875 - DOI
    1. Thornicroft G, Brohan E, Rose D, Sartorius N, Leese M. Global pattern of experienced and anticipated discrimination against people with schizophrenia: A cross-sectional survey. Lancet. (2009) 373:408–15. 10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61817-6 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Mak W, Cheung R. Affiliate stigma among caregivers of people with intellectual disability or mental illness. J Appl Res Intellect. (2008) 21:532–45. 10.1111/j.1468-3148.2008.00426.x - DOI
    1. Dubreucq J, Plasse J, Franck N. Self-stigma in serious mental illness: A systematic review of frequency, correlates, and consequences. Schizophr Bull. (2021) 47:1261–87. 10.1093/schbul/sbaa181 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources