Internalized stigma and its correlates among justice-involved individuals with mental illness

In the United States, the number of justice-involved individuals living with mental illnesses is large and growing; however, there is little information about internalized stigma experienced by this population. To address this gap, we assessed internalized stigma and its relationship with symptomatology and demographic and clinical characteristics among 108 probationers with severe mental illnesses. More than third of the sample reported high levels of internalized stigma, and more than half of the sample reported high scores on alienation and social withdrawal subscales. There was a positive and significant correlation between symptomatology and internalized stigma. Interventions to address internalized stigma among justice-involved people with mental illnesses are needed.

Duke Scholars

Author Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein Population Health Sciences