Cited by 311Mental Health Treatment and AccessPsychology and Mental HealthMental Health and Psychiatry

Stigma and mental disorder: Conceptions of illness, public attitudes, personal disclosure, and social policy

HINSHAW, STEPHEN P., CICCHETTI, DANTE·2000·Development and Psychopathology

Abstract

The end of the last millennium witnessed an unprecedented degree of public awareness regarding mental disorder as well as motivation for policy change. Like Sartorius, we contend that the continued stigmatization of mental illness may well be the central issue facing the field, as nearly all attendant issues (e.g., standards of care, funding for basic and applied research efforts) emanate from professional, societal, and personal attitudes towards persons with aberrant behavior. We discuss empirical and narrative evidence for stigmatization as well as historical trends regarding conceptualizations of mental illness, including the field's increasing focus on genetic and neurobiological causes and determinants of mental disorder. We next define stigma explicitly, noting both the multiple levels (community, societal, familial, individual) through which stigma operates to dehumanize and delegitimize individuals with mental disorders and the impact of stigma across development. Key developmental psychopathology principles are salient in this regard. We express concern over the recent oversimplification of mental illness as “brain disorder,” supporting instead transactional models which account for the dynamic interplay of genes, neurobiology, environment, and self across development and which are consistent with both compassion and societal responsibility. Finally, we consider educational and policy-related initiatives regarding the destigmatization of mental disorder. We conclude that attitudes and policy regarding mental disorder reflect, in microcosmic form, two crucial issues for the next century and millennium: (a) tolerance for diversity (vs. pressure for conformity) and (b) intentional direction of our species' evolution, given fast-breaking genetic advances.

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Crossref · 10.1017/s0954579400004028

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  • Reluctance of many at-risk people, especially men, to avail themselves of treatment due to stigma and social norms is a major problem in suicide prevention.

    “Major problems in suicide prevention are the paucity of specialized mental health services and the reluctance of many at-risk people, especially men, to avail themselves of treatment due to stigma [91] and social norms [92].”

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Authors
HINSHAW, S. P., & CICCHETTI, D.
Affiliations
  • University of California, Berkeley (US)
  • University of Rochester (US)
Venue
Development and Psychopathology
Published
2000-12
Volume
12
Issue
4
Pages
555-598
ISSN
  • 0954-5794 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-2198
OpenAlex
W2136434200
Cited by
311
References
8
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 32
FWCI
5.20
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Development and Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (MH 45064, MH45027, MH50461, U01MH050461)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychology and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Mental Health and Psychiatry
Keywords
mental health stigma, self-disclosure, mental health policy, conceptualization of mental illness, transactional model, developmental psychopathology, stigma reduction, dehumanization, social responsibility, genetic advance
MeSH terms
Attitude to Health, Mental Disorders, Deinstitutionalization, Humans, Mental Health Services, Prejudice, Public Policy, Self Disclosure, Stereotyping

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