seeking help for a mental illness). Personal stigma reflects an individual’s own attitudes toward a person with or seeking help for a mental illness ( Griffiths, Christensen, Jorm, Evans, & Groves, 2004 ). In contrast, perceived public stigma includes stereotypes, discrimination, or prejudice that the
Matthew D. Bird, Eadie E. Simons, and Patricia C. Jackman
Robert C. Hilliard, Lorenzo A. Redmond, and Jack C. Watson II
identified as a potential barrier. Stigma Stigma has been defined as existing in two forms: public and self-stigma ( Corrigan, 2004 ). Public stigma is an external form of stigma referring to the belief that society deems an individual possessing certain traits or behaviors as socially unacceptable or
Matthew D. Bird, Graig M. Chow, Gily Meir, and Jaison Freeman
by others, also known as public stigma, is described as an individual’s perception of discrimination or stereotypes from the public to a stigmatized group ( Corrigan, 2004 ). When investigating public stigma in student-athletes, Kaier, Cromer, Johnson, Strunk, and Davis ( 2015 ) found student
Rachel S. Wahto, Joshua K. Swift, and Jason L. Whipple
The purposes of this study were to (a) examine the relationships between public stigma, self-stigma, and mental health help-seeking attitudes in college studentathletes, and (b) test whether referral source would have an impact on student-athletes’ willingness to seek mental health help. Participating college student-athletes (n = 43) completed an online survey including measures of stigma (public and self), attitudes, and willingness to seek mental health help. The results indicated that public stigma and self-stigma predicted a significant proportion of variance in attitudes (66%) above and beyond gender and treatment-use history. In addition, student-athletes were more willing to seek help when referred by a family member compared with a coach (d = 0.89), a teammate (d = 1.05), or oneself (d = 1.28). The results have important implications for helping student-athletes seek mental health help when there is a need.
Graig M. Chow, Matthew D. Bird, Nicole T. Gabana, Brandon T. Cooper, and Martin A. Swanbrow Becker
timely and appropriate help ( DeLenardo & Terrion, 2014 ; Lopez & Levy, 2013 ). Stigma accounts for 66% of the variance in mental health help-seeking attitudes in student-athletes ( Wahto, Swift, & Whipple, 2016 ). There are three types of stigma. Perceived public stigma (i.e., stigmatization by
Shelby J. Martin and Timothy Anderson
experiences of self-stigma and public-stigma, and underlying perfectionistic traits. Stigma—a multidimensional construct—is an identified barrier to mental-health help-seeking in samples of athletes and non-athletes (e.g., Clement et al., 2015 ; Evans et al., 2011 ; Gulliver, Griffiths, & Christensen, 2010
Steven J. Petruzzello and Allyson G. Box
). Contextualizing public stigma: Endorsed mental health treatment stigma on college and university campuses . Social Science & Medicine, 197, 183 – 191 . PubMed ID: 29248824 doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.11.029 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.11.029 Gerber , M. , Brand , S. , Herrmann , C. , Colledge , F
Rachel Vaccaro and Ted M. Butryn
demons” might have stemmed from a conservative Wisconsin upbringing or from the tendency of athletes to internalize their emotional problems because of the fear of negative public stigmas ( DeLenardo & Terrion, 2014 ). Favor Hamilton was able to conceal some of her mental illness symptoms, but other
Sarah A. McGraw, Christopher R. Deubert, Holly Fernandez Lynch, Alixandra Nozzolillo, Lauren Taylor, and I. Glenn Cohen
Corrigan , P.W. , Morris , S.B. , Michaels , P.J. , Rafacz , J.D. , & Rusch , N. ( 2012 ). Challenging the public stigma of mental illness: A meta-analysis of outcome studies . Psychiatric Services, 63 ( 10 ), 963 – 973 . PubMed ID: 23032675 doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201100529 10.1176/appi
