Are self-stigma and coping strategies interrelated in outpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders using the psychiatric medication? Cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction

Self-stigma is the maladaptive psychosocial phenomenon that can affect the patient's self-image, may lead to dysphoria, social isolation, reduced adherence and quality of life. Maladaptive coping strategies may adversely disturb the overall functioning of psychiatric patients.

Objectives

Thinking about coping strategies and self-stigma in practice may play a significant role in understanding patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, especially for mental health professionals. Focus on coping strategies could be a useful concept in supportive and educational therapy to help patients in using more adaptive coping strategies and decrease their self-stigma.

Aims

The aim of this study was to determine the relation between coping strategies and the self-stigma among outpatients with schizophrenia and related disorders.

Methods

Stress Coping Style Questionnaire (SVF-78), Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) and severity of the disorder (measured by Clinical Global Impression objective and subjective form) were assessed.

Results

One hundred and four patients suffering from schizophrenia (n = 67), schizoaffective disorder (n = 30), polymorphic psychotic disorder (n = 3), schizotypal disorder (n = 2) and delusional disorder (n = 2) were included in the study. The results showed that there was a high positive correlation between negative coping and self-stigma, and the negative correlation between positive strategies and the overall score of self-stigma. Stepwise regression analysis showed that negative coping (especially resignation), subjective severity SubjCGI and positive coping strategies (especially positive self-instruction) explains 52.8% of the overall score variance of self-stigma (Tables 1–3).

Conclusions

This study revealed that there is a connection between self-stigma and coping strategies in patients suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Table 1 Description of the sample, demographic and clinic at data.

Table 2 Description of using coping strategies and self-stigma in outpatients.

Table 3 Correlations between self-stigma and coping strategies.