Many individuals with mental illnesses are troubled by self-stigma and the subsequent processes that accompany this stigma: low self-esteem and self-efficacy. "Why try" is the overarching phenomenon of interest here, encompassing self-stigma, mediating processes, and their effect on goal-related behavior. In this paper, the literature that explains "why try" is reviewed, with special focus on social psychological models. Self-stigma comprises three steps: awareness of the stereotype, agreement with it, and applying it to one's self. As a result of these processes, people suffer reduced self-esteem and self-efficacy. People are dissuaded from pursuing the kind of opportunities that are fundamental to achieving life goals because of diminished self-esteem and self-efficacy. People may also avoid accessing and using evidence-based practices that help achieve these goals. The effects of self-stigma and the "why try" effect can be diminished by services that promote consumer empowerment.
BT - World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) C1 -http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19516923?dopt=Abstract
DO - 10.1002/j.2051-5545.2009.tb00218.x IS - 2 J2 - World Psychiatry LA - eng N2 -Many individuals with mental illnesses are troubled by self-stigma and the subsequent processes that accompany this stigma: low self-esteem and self-efficacy. "Why try" is the overarching phenomenon of interest here, encompassing self-stigma, mediating processes, and their effect on goal-related behavior. In this paper, the literature that explains "why try" is reviewed, with special focus on social psychological models. Self-stigma comprises three steps: awareness of the stereotype, agreement with it, and applying it to one's self. As a result of these processes, people suffer reduced self-esteem and self-efficacy. People are dissuaded from pursuing the kind of opportunities that are fundamental to achieving life goals because of diminished self-esteem and self-efficacy. People may also avoid accessing and using evidence-based practices that help achieve these goals. The effects of self-stigma and the "why try" effect can be diminished by services that promote consumer empowerment.
PY - 2009 SP - 75 EP - 81 T2 - World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) TI - Self-stigma and the "why try" effect: impact on life goals and evidence-based practices. UR - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.2051-5545.2009.tb00218.x/epdf VL - 8 SN - 1723-8617 ER -