Biomedical subjects

Natalie Slopen

Publications and source records attributed to Natalie Slopen.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Some recovery processes in mutual-help groups for persons with mental illness; II: qualitative analysis of participant interviews.

Previous research suggests that consumer operated services facilitate recovery from serious mental illness. In part I of this series, we analyzed the content of the GROW program, one example of a consumer operated service, and identified several processes that Growers believe assists in recovery. In this paper, we review the qualitative interviews of 57 Growers to determine what actual participants in GROW acknowledge are important processes for recovery. We also used the interviews to identify the elements of recovery according to these Growers. Growers identified self-reliance, industriousness, and self-esteem as key ingredients of recovery. Recovery was distinguished into a process-an ongoing life experience-versus an outcome, a feeling of being cured or having overcome the disorder. The most prominent element of GROW that facilitated recovery was the support of peers. Gaining a sense of personal value was also fostered by GROW and believed to be important for recovery. The paper ends with a discussion of the implications of these findings for the ongoing development of consumer operated services and their impact on recovery.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2005

How adolescents perceive the stigma of mental illness and alcohol abuse.

OBJECTIVES: Research among adults has yielded three sets of conclusions about the stigma of mental illness. First, people with mental illness are stigmatized more severely than those with physical health conditions; those who abuse alcohol are viewed more harshly than those with mental illness. Second, stereotypes of mental illness related to responsibility and dangerousness lead to negative emotional reactions and discriminatory behaviors. Third, familiarity with people with mental illness tends to diminish stigma. This study attempted to validate these findings with a large and diverse sample of adolescents. METHODS: A total of 303 adolescents completed a revised version of the Attribution Questionnaire (rAQ) that presented four vignettes, each describing a different type of peer: a peer with mental illness, with mental illness caused by a brain tumor, with alcohol abuse problems, and with leukemia. The rAQ comprises seven Likert scale items of agreement that research participants rated for each vignette. Items included pity, danger, fear, responsibility, anger, help, and avoidance. Participants also completed a revised Level of Contact Report to assess their familiarity with mental illness. RESULTS: As with adults, adolescents stigmatized peers who abuse alcohol most severely, followed by those with mental illness. Peers with leukemia were treated more benignly than the other groups. Having a brain tumor mediated the stigmatizing effect of mental illness. Adolescents who agreed that persons with mental illness are responsible for their illness and are dangerous demonstrated more discrimination toward these persons. However, this finding was not supported for alcohol abuse. Familiarity yielded an unexpected effect among adolescents; those who reported more familiarity with mental illness were more likely to endorse stigma of mental illness. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents tended to discriminate among conditions, viewing substance abuse more harshly than the other disorders. Blame and dangerousness were important variables leading to discrimination, and contact with persons with mental illness led to more discrimination.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Newspaper stories as measures of structural stigma.

OBJECTIVES: Structural stigma and discrimination occur when an institution like a newspaper, rather than an individual, promulgates stigmatizing messages about mental illness. This study examined current trends in the news media on reporting topics of mental illness. METHODS: All relevant stories (N=3,353) in large U.S. newspapers were identified and coded during six weeklong periods in 2002. Stories were coded by themes that fit into four categories: dangerousness, blame, treatment and recovery, and advocacy action (that is, calls for public policy and action that increase the quality of care or opportunities for those with mental illness). RESULTS: Thirty-nine percent of all stories focused on dangerousness and violence; these stories most often ended up in the front section. Few stories promulgated the idea that either the person or the family was responsible for mental illness (2 percent). Instead, stories about genetic or biological or environmental causation (for example, stress and trauma) were more common (15 percent). There were equal numbers of stories about biological and psychosocial treatments (13 and 14 percent, respectively). Four percent of all treatment-related stories addressed recovery. Twenty percent of stories contained themes that fell into the broad category of advocacy action. These stories addressed the shortage of resources in the public mental health arena, the need for better care, the absence of good-quality housing, and the goal of insurance parity. CONCLUSIONS: Data on how mental illness is represented in newspapers yield a useful perspective on structural stigma and the policies and standards that are applied by the news media. These findings have implications for influencing the press.

Humans↗

PubMed2005

Structural stigma in state legislation.

OBJECTIVE: This article discusses examples of structural stigma that results from state governments' enactment of laws that diminish the opportunities of people with mental illness. METHODS: To examine current trends in structural stigma, the authors identified and coded all relevant bills introduced in 2002 in the 50 states. Bills were categorized in terms of their effect on liberties, protection from discrimination, and privacy. The terms used to describe the targets of bills were examined: persons with "mental illness" or persons who are "incompetent" or "disabled" because of mental illness. RESULTS: About one-quarter of the state bills reviewed for this survey related to protection from discrimination. Within that category, half the bills reduced protections for the targeted individuals, such as restriction of firearms for people with current or past mental illness and reduced parental rights among persons with a history of mental illness. Half the bills seemed to expand protections, such as those that required mental health funding at the same levels provided for other medical conditions and those that disallowed use of mental health status in child custody cases. Legislation frequently confuses "incompetence" with "mental illness." CONCLUSIONS: Examples of structural stigma uncovered by surveys such as this one can inform advocates for persons with mental illness as to where an individual state stands in relation to the number of bills that affect persons with mental illness and whether these bills expand or contract the liberties of this stigmatized group.

Human Rights↗