Mental Illness Stigma: An Impediment to Psychiatric Rehabilitation

A sample of 100 persons with serious mental illness receiving community services were interviewed to determine their experiences of mental illness stigma. The most frequently cited sources of stigma were employers and supervisors, family members, mental health caregivers, and persons in the community at large. The most common types of stigma responses which respondents reported receiving from others were a view of the person as incompetent and a lack of acceptance or understanding about mental illness. Offensive comments about mental illness and a fear of the person's potential danger were also cited. Results are discussed in the context of psychiatric rehabilitation practice. Specific anti-stigma interventions are needed to facilitate rehabilitation goals of skill development, community integration, and recovery.