Perceived Devaluation and Discrimination toward mental illness Scale (PDDs): Its association with sociodemographic variables and interpersonal contact in a Mexican sample / Escala de Percepción de la Devaluación y Discriminación hacia la enfermedad mental (PDDs): su relación con variables sociodemográficas y el contacto interpersonal en una muestra mexicana

Abstract Introduction Research about stigma on mental illness in different sociocultural contexts is crucial to guide international efforts to reduce discrimination. Objective Analyze the psychometric properties of the Perceived Devaluation and Discrimination (PDD) scale adapted for the Mexican population and its relationship with sociodemographic variables and interpersonal contact. Method The study was based on a psychometric and cross-sectional design. The PDD scale was applied to a sample of 295 participants recruited through community programs in the south of Mexico City. Data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis to identify the subscales of PDDs. These subscales were compared by age, gender, and education using a univariate analysis. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was then performed to determine whether there were differences in educational level between three PDDM-subscales. Results The PDD scale obtained an adequate global internal consistency (α = .78). Three PDDs factors were identified: myths and stereotypes, favorable attitudes, and social exclusion, which explain 57.8% of the total variance. The results shows an Χ2SB = 140.88 (df = 143, p = .05, CFI = 1, RMSEA = .000, CI [.000, .029]). Other findings showed significant differences in favorable attitudes toward mental illness subscale by gender and age. The ANOVA results for the social perception of the devaluation subscale reveal that those with a higher educational level could be more aware about devaluation in society toward people with mental illness than other groups with lower education (F = 4.88, p = .005). Discussion and conclusion The PDD-M scale adapted in Mexico is a culturally valid and reliable measure that could be useful for evaluating the variations and commonalities of public stigma in comparative studies between Latino populations and other international research contexts.

Resumen Introducción La investigación acerca del estigma de la enfermedad mental en distintos contextos sociales es fundamental para combatir la discriminación. Objetivo Analizar las propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Percepción de la Devaluación y la Discriminación hacia las enfermedades mentales adaptada en México (PDD) y su relación con variables sociodemográficas y el contacto interpersonal. Método Se utilizó un diseño transversal ex post facto. Se aplicó la escala PDD-M en población adulta (n = 295) de la Ciudad de México. Los datos se analizaron mediante un análisis factorial confirmatorio y análisis multivariados. Resultados Se identifican tres áreas del PDD-M: mitos y estereotipos, actitudes favorables y percepción social de la devaluación y discriminación, que explican el 57.8% de la varianza. Se obtuvo un buen ajuste del modelo Χ2SB = 140.88 (df = 143, p = .05, CFI = 1, RMSEA = .000, CI [.000, .029]). La consistencia interna global de la prueba (α = .78) fue adecuada. Los resultados muestran diferencias significativas por género, edad y escolaridad. El análisis multivariado reveló que quienes tenían mayor nivel educativo eran más conscientes de la devaluación y la discriminación que quienes tenían escolaridades más bajas (F = 4.88, p = .005). Discusión y conclusión Se obtuvo una medición culturalmente válida y confiable del estigma público de la enfermedad mental (PDD-M) que puede servir para impulsar la investigación en esta línea a través de estudios comparativos en América Latina y en otros contextos internacionales.

Addiction-Related Stigma and Discrimination: A Qualitative Study in Treatment Centers in Mexico City.

Social rejection of drug use is greater than that directed at other psychiatric conditions, like depression and anxiety, which may lead to social exclusion of substance users and prevent them from seeking and receiving treatment. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate the stigma and discrimination related to addiction in treatment centers in Mexico City. METHODS: Data are from a broad mixed methods study. The present study is a qualitative analysis of 35 in-depth interviews of drug users, family members, and providers, using guidelines for the exploration of experiences of stigma and discrimination related to substance abuse. A thematic analysis was carried out using specialized software (Atlas.ti 6.2.23). RESULTS: The common practices of stigma and discrimination (e.g., judging, mockery, inappropriate comments, overprotection, and hostile looks), were identified in participant testimonies. The narratives provide evidence of varied conditions of social and gender inequality, as well as experience of violence and abuse, that refer to a structural context of discrimination surrounding addiction, and that constitute obstacles to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The findings allow for a description of the stigmatization process surrounding addiction as a shared problem that requires the implementation of coordinated treatment strategies. They also suggest the need for more comprehensive policies of inclusion, based on human rights, which favor prevention and treatment.

Subjective Experience and Resources for Coping With Stigma in People With a Diagnosis of Schizophrenia: An Intersectional Approach.

In this study, we investigate the subjective experience of a group of individuals, diagnosed with schizophrenia, undergoing outpatient treatment in four psychiatric clinics in Mexico City. Our objective is to use the paradigm of intersectionality to explore the most common forms of stigma and discrimination faced by people with this illness, as well as the coping resources they employ. The major contribution of this study is its use of in-depth interviews and thematic analysis of the information obtained to identify the importance of sociocultural aspects of participants' experience of their illness. Schizophrenia, for them, was a problem of "nerves," whose origins were linked to magical or religious elements they attributed to their illness and which influenced their response to it. This resignification was useful to participants as a coping resource; it helped them find meaning and significance in their experience of the illness.