Britt Thomas W, Jennings Kristen S, Cheung Janelle H, Pury Cynthia L S, Zinzow Heidi M
Department of Psychology.
Psychiatr Rehabil J. 2015 Jun;38(2):142-9. doi: 10.1037/prj0000120. Epub 2015 Mar 23.
Many military personnel with mental health problems do not seek treatment from mental health professionals, and if they do seek treatment, they drop out of treatment before receiving the recommended number of sessions. The present study examined the role of 4 different stigma perceptions on these outcomes: perceived stigma to career, perceived stigma of differential treatment, self-stigma from seeking treatment, and stigmatizing perceptions of soldiers who seek treatment.
One thousand three hundred twenty-four active duty soldiers completed a self-report survey assessment that included measures of the 4 different stigma perceptions, indices of mental health symptoms, receipt of mental health treatment, and whether they had dropped out of treatment before it was completed.
Participants screening positive for a mental health problem reported higher scores on all 4 stigma perceptions. All 4 stigma perceptions were each associated with a reduced likelihood of treatment seeking when considered individually, but only stigmatizing beliefs about those who seek treatment were uniquely associated with treatment seeking. Perceived stigma for one's career and differential treatment from others, along with self-stigma from treatment seeking, were associated with an increased probability of dropping out of mental health treatment. Self-stigma from treatment seeking was the only unique predictor of dropout.
Different stigma perceptions were associated with treatment seeking and dropout. Further longitudinal research is needed to examine how stigma perceptions influence these important outcomes. Practitioners need to be aware of how different stigma perceptions can influence treatment seeking and potentially target stigma perceptions during treatment to prevent dropout.
许多有心理健康问题的军事人员并未寻求心理健康专业人员的治疗，而且即便他们寻求治疗，也会在接受推荐疗程之前退出治疗。本研究考察了4种不同的污名认知对这些结果的作用：对职业的污名认知、差别对待的污名认知、寻求治疗带来的自我污名，以及对寻求治疗的士兵的污名化认知。
1324名现役军人完成了一项自我报告调查评估，其中包括对4种不同污名认知的测量、心理健康症状指标、接受心理健康治疗的情况，以及他们是否在治疗结束前退出治疗。
心理健康问题筛查呈阳性的参与者在所有4种污名认知上得分更高。单独考虑时，所有4种污名认知均与寻求治疗的可能性降低相关，但只有对寻求治疗者的污名化信念与寻求治疗存在独特关联。对自身职业的污名认知、他人的差别对待，以及寻求治疗带来的自我污名，均与退出心理健康治疗的可能性增加相关。寻求治疗带来的自我污名是退出治疗的唯一独特预测因素。
不同的污名认知与寻求治疗和退出治疗相关。需要进一步开展纵向研究，以考察污名认知如何影响这些重要结果。从业者需要意识到不同的污名认知会如何影响寻求治疗，并在治疗期间可能针对污名认知采取措施以防止退出治疗。
