The stigma towards people suffering from schizophrenia, drug addiction and alcohol addiction Cover Image

Стигматизација на лица болни од шизофренија и на зависници од дрога и алкохол
The stigma towards people suffering from schizophrenia, drug addiction and alcohol addiction

Author(s): Mihajlo Popovski
Subject(s): Cognitive Psychology, Neuropsychology, Social differentiation, Substance abuse and addiction, Health and medicine and law
Published by: Филозофскиот факултет во Скопје
Keywords: stigma; discrimination; mental health disorder; attribution;

Summary/Abstract: The stigma of mental illness is common in the general population, including students. This paper presents results from a study on the features of stigma among students towards people with different mental health disorders, i.e. schizophrenia, drug addiction and alcohol addiction. The results show that students generally stigmatize addiction more severely than schizophrenia. They tend to attribute higher personal responsibility and blame the addiction, as a result of which they express increased anger and fear of addicts, as well as avoidant behaviour towards them. In contrast, students tend to attribute less personal responsibility and controllability to schizophrenia, thus feeling increased pity for people suffering from this disorder, although at the same time they believe that segregation and coercion are most appropriate for them. The study also found two opposing tendencies among students: a concurrent preparedness for helping behaviour as well as a tendency towards discriminatory behaviour against people with different mental health disorders.

  • Issue Year: 2009
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 231-244
  • Page Count: 14
  • Language: Macedonian