Chapter 8 - Definition and process of stigma

Summary

This chapter reviews the origins and nature of stigma. It traces a shift from considering stigma from the perspective of those stigmatized, viewing them as indelibly marked, to a broader social determinants framework that considers stigma from the perspective of the stigmatizing groups, as a form of social oppression. Significant contributions to the field of stigma research have been made by sociologists, social psychologists, geographers, psychiatrists, and more recently epidemiologists and public health professionals. Self-stigma is a form of self-fulfilling prophesy. It occurs when members of a stigmatized group internalize negative stereotypes and adopt a stigmatized illness identity. Self-stigma has its origins in cultural conceptions of mental illness that begin in childhood and become crystalized throughout adulthood. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) has provided an important rallying point for legislative and social reform.