Understanding the factor structure of the public stigma of substance use disorder. (4th March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nieweglowski, Katherine; Dubke, Rachel; Mulfinger, Nadine; Sheehan, Lindsay; Corrigan, Patrick W.
• Is Part Of: Addiction research & theory. Volume 27:Number 2(2019)
• Page Start: 156
• Page End: 161
• Publication Date: 2019-03-04
• Subjects: Substance use disorder -- addiction -- public stigma -- stereotypes -- prejudice -- discrimination; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Compulsive behavior -- Periodicals; Behavior, Addictive -- Periodicals; Substance-Related Disorders -- Periodicals; 616.86
• DOI: 10.1080/16066359.2018.1474205
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1606-6359

Abstract

Abstract: Few empirical research studies have examined the public stigma of substance use disorder (SUD) compared to mental illness (MI). Expanding on the results of a qualitative study on the stigma of SUD, this study quantitatively examined items thought to represent the three constructs of public stigma: stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination. Additionally, exploratory factor analyses generated factor structures to provide meaning to each construct. Results indicated that some factors were endorsed significantly higher than others: for stereotypes, recklessness and threat were significantly endorsed more than unreliability and inadequacy; for prejudice, dread was endorsed the most; and for discrimination, restriction was endorsed more than invalidation. Additional oneway ANOVAs revealed that women significantly endorsed restriction more than men. Although further research is needed to confirm a complete set of factors, these results may help to establish a model for the public stigma of people with SUD.