A Systematic Literature Review of the Public and Private Stigma Associated With Schizophrenia

Abstract

People with schizophrenia are suffering from one of the most debilitating mental disorders and are subsequently subject to negative stereotypes, reactions, and behaviors from the community. This literature review on the stigma associated with schizophrenia reveals that there is public stigma held by the general public, health care professionals, students and relatives of persons with schizophrenia, as well as private stigma experienced by both patients with schizophrenia and their relatives. This systematic literature review seeks to a) summarize the prevalence and various correlates of public and private stigma, b) examine the limitations to the methodologies and designs of the studies that investigate each of these dimensions, and c) provide a greater understanding of the entire scope of stigma associated with schizophrenia. Throughout this literature review are suggestions for future research, as well as important implications for antistigma interventions.