Janie Busby Grant|China Bruce|Philip J. Batterham
Predictors of personal, perceived and self-stigma towards anxiety and depression
University of Canberra|University of Canberra|Australian National University
background stigma towards individuals experiencing mental illness associated range negative psychological social financial outcomes factors associated stigma remain unclear relationship stigma various personal factors may depend type disorder stigmatised type stigma assessed different forms stigma include personal stigma negative attitudes towards others perceived stigma perceived attitudes others selfstigma selfattribution others negative attitudes method three hundred fifty university students members general public completed online survey assessing contact knowledge depression anxiety age gender current depression anxiety symptoms personal perceived selfstigma depression anxiety results greater contact knowledge illness predicted lower personal stigma anxiety depression participants greater levels current depression symptomatology females reported higher perceived stigma towards depression males reported higher personal stigma anxiety anxiety depression higher current symptomatology associated greater levels selfstigma towards illness conclusions findings confirm role contact knowledge personal stigma disorders consistent previous findings finding also supports evidence interventions addressing factors associated decline personal stigma however lack relationship contact knowledge mental illness perceived selfstigma either depression anxiety suggests factors may play major role perceived selfstigma identification symptomatology key factor associated selfstigma anxiety depression significant implications communitywide interventions aiming increase helpseeking behaviour well individual treatment strategies clinicians research examine whether relationships hold groups clinically diagnosed depression anxiety disorders