The Stigma Scale: development of a standardised measure of the stigma of mental illness
Authors:
- Michael KingMKMichael King
- Sokratis DinosSDSokratis Dinos
- Jenifer ShawJSJenifer Shaw
- Robert WatsonRWRobert Watson
- Scott StevensSSScott Stevens
- Filippo PassettiFPFilippo Passetti
- Scott WeichSWScott Weich
- Marc SerfatyMSMarc Serfaty
Open Access
- 1 March 2007
- journal article
- Published by Royal College of Psychiatrists in The British Journal of Psychiatry
- Vol. 190 (3) , 248-254
Abstract
Background: There is concern about the stigma of mental illness, but it is difficult to measure stigma consistently.Aims: To develop a standardised instrument to measure the stigma of mental illness.Method: We used qualitative data from interviews with mental health service users to develop a pilot scale with 42 items. We recruited 193 service users in order to standardise the scale. Of these, 93 were asked to complete the questionnaire twice, 2 weeks apart, of whom 60 (65%) did so. Items with a test–retest reliability kappa coefficient of 0.4 or greater were retained and subjected to common factor analysis.Results: The final 28-item stigma scale has a three-factor structure: the first concerns discrimination, the second disclosure and the third potential positive aspects of mental illness. Stigma scale scores were negatively correlated with global self-esteem.Conclusions: This self-report questionnaire, which can be completed in 5–10 min, may help us understand more about the role of stigma of psychiatric illness in research and clinical settings.Keywords
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