Kevin K S Chan1, Winnie W S Mak. 1. Department of Psychological Studies and Center for Psychosocial Health and Aging, The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Tai Po, Hong Kong.
Abstract
PURPOSE: For people with schizophrenia living in the community and receiving outpatient care, the issues of stigma and discrimination and dearth of recovery-oriented services remain barriers to recovery and community integration. The experience of self-stigma and unmet recovery needs can occur regardless of symptom status or disease process, reducing life satisfaction and disrupting overall well-being. The present study examined the mediating role of self-stigma and unmet needs in the relationship between psychiatric symptom severity and subjective quality of life. METHODS: Structural equation modeling and mediation analyses were conducted based on a community sample of 400 mental health consumers with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in Hong Kong. RESULTS: The model of self-stigma and unmet needs as mediators between symptom severity and subjective quality of life had good fit to the data (GFI = .93, CFI = .93, NNFI = .92, RMSEA = .06, χ(2)/df ratio = 2.62). A higher level of symptom severity was significantly associated with increased self-stigma (R (2) = .24) and a greater number of unmet needs (R (2) = .53). Self-stigma and unmet needs were in turn negatively related to subjective quality of life (R (2) = .45). CONCLUSIONS: It is essential that service providers and administrators make greater efforts to eliminate or reduce self-stigma and unmet recovery needs, which are associated with the betterment of the overall quality of life and long-term recovery. Both incorporating empowerment and advocacy-based interventions into recovery-oriented services and providing community-based, person-centered services to people based on personally defined needs are important directions for future recovery-oriented efforts.
PURPOSE: For people with schizophrenia living in the community and receiving outpatient care, the issues of stigma and discrimination and dearth of recovery-oriented services remain barriers to recovery and community integration. The experience of self-stigma and unmet recovery needs can occur regardless of symptom status or disease process, reducing life satisfaction and disrupting overall well-being. The present study examined the mediating role of self-stigma and unmet needs in the relationship between psychiatric symptom severity and subjective quality of life. METHODS: Structural equation modeling and mediation analyses were conducted based on a community sample of 400 mental health consumers with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in Hong Kong. RESULTS: The model of self-stigma and unmet needs as mediators between symptom severity and subjective quality of life had good fit to the data (GFI = .93, CFI = .93, NNFI = .92, RMSEA = .06, χ(2)/df ratio = 2.62). A higher level of symptom severity was significantly associated with increased self-stigma (R (2) = .24) and a greater number of unmet needs (R (2) = .53). Self-stigma and unmet needs were in turn negatively related to subjective quality of life (R (2) = .45). CONCLUSIONS: It is essential that service providers and administrators make greater efforts to eliminate or reduce self-stigma and unmet recovery needs, which are associated with the betterment of the overall quality of life and long-term recovery. Both incorporating empowerment and advocacy-based interventions into recovery-oriented services and providing community-based, person-centered services to people based on personally defined needs are important directions for future recovery-oriented efforts.
Authors: M Phelan; M Slade; G Thornicroft; G Dunn; F Holloway; T Wykes; G Strathdee; L Loftus; P McCrone; P Hayward Journal: Br J Psychiatry Date: 1995-11 Impact factor: 9.319
Authors: Charles Chiu Hung Yip; Winnie Tsz Wa Fung; Donald Chi Kin Leung; Kevin Ka Shing Chan Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2022-09-02 Impact factor: 3.440