Effects of Recovery Measures on Internalized Stigma in Patients Diagnosed with Schizophrenia

The research aimed to establish important predictors for addressing internalized stigma from a series of clinical measures relevant to recovery such as symptomatology, functionality, and psychological recovery of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. This cross-sectional study analyzed the information obtained through interviews and surveys of 165 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia of the Public Mental Health Centers in the city of Arica, Chile. The results show that regression models composed of different measures of recovery such as symptomatology, functionality, and subjective recovery are significant predictors of internalized stigma. Of all measures, subjective psychological aspects such as hope most strongly predict dimensions of internalized stigma. The implications of this study emphasize that for the treatment of internalized stigma, aspects such as hope or general optimism about the possibility of achieving personal goals and aspirations may contribute significantly to addressing internalized stigma in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia.