Parents of people who cope with a psychiatric illness encounter stigma. Stigma has cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components and is expressed in the establishment of a link between a group of people and a negative characteristic, leading to rejection and discrimination against this group and its individual members. Often, these experiences intensify their already heavy emotional burden. For example, stigma may alienate them from relatives and friends, reduce their social and emotional support, and force them to face blame, misunderstanding, and a lack of empathy. Moreover, these parents may internalize stigma, believe that the traits attributed to their children are true, and, as a result, develop feelings of guilt and shame.
This is one in a series of studies conducted jointly with the Mental Health Services at the Ministry of Health to suggest directions for interventions to reduce stigma with regard to objectives, intervention methods, and target sub-populations. The study described in this report, the first of its kind in Israel, examines the experience of parents of people coping with psychiatric illnesses, in an effort to shed light on stigmatization from their perspective. Concurrently, a study addressing stigma in the general population against people with psychiatric illnesses and against mental health care and another focusing on the perceptions and attitudes of people attending public mental health clinics were also conducted.
In this study, interviews were conducted with 52 parents of adults (over 18) coping with psychiatric illnesses. The sample was limited and is not representative (almost all the parents interviewed participate in activities of organizations for people in their situation and have been coping with their son’s or daughter’s illness for a prolonged period of time). It nevertheless provided a preliminary picture of this issue, which has hardly been studied in Israel or abroad.
This study examined the parents’ experience of stigma from, among others, friends, relatives, and professionals, and their perspective of its impact on their relationships within and outside the family. It also examined the parents’ methods of coping with stigma, which included concealing the illness; avoiding people and places where they feared encountering stigma; explaining the illness to other people; and emphasizing the positive qualities of people with psychiatric illnesses and their families.
In light of the findings, the report suggests several directions for action that could help the parents, including:
-
Beginning at the earliest stages of diagnosis, the mental health system should provide families with information on the etiology and course of the illness.
-
Efforts could be made to reduce feelings of guilt and to stress the positive qualities of the individual and his/her family.
-
A system of personal support and guidance provided to parents by parents, particularly in the early stages, could be enhanced and developed and participation in organizations and support groups encouraged.
The study was funded with the assistance of the National Institute for Health Policy and Health Services Research.
Citations in the professional and academic literature
Struch, N., Levav, I., Shereshevsky, Y., Baidani-Auerbach, A., Lachman, M., Daniel, N., & Zehavi, T. (2008). Stigma experienced by persons under psychiatric care. Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences, 45(3), 210.
Sykes, I., Menashe, E., Lazerwitz, E., Vlodavsky, A., & Zaga-Shabbat, L. (2007). Reflections on an effort to develop a cross-disability consciousness inclusive of people with psychiatric disabilities. Disability Studies Quarterly, 27(4).
Hirschmann, D., Volovic Shushan, S., & Bareket-Srulevitch, O. (2014). The importance of an Occupational-based Family Therapy in mental health: a survey study of occupational therapists’ perspectives. World Federation of Occupational Therapists Bulletin, 70(1), 22-29.