Sara González-Domínguez1, Clara González-Sanguino2, Manuel Muñoz1. 1. School of Psychology, Department of Personality, Evaluation and Clinical Psychology, University Complutense of Madrid. 2. School of Psychology, Department of Personality, Evaluation and Clinical Psychology, University Complutense of Madrid. Electronic address: clagon06@ucm.es.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:Internalized stigma (IS) is a key factor in the recovery, quality of life and functioning of people with severe mental illness (SMI), and effective intervention programs are needed to reduce IS in all its dimensions. The aim of this report was to design and evaluate the effectiveness of a new psychological intervention group program for the reduction of IS in people with SMI. METHODS: A 9-session hands-on intervention program was designed with a group format in which different therapeutic techniques were combined. To evaluate the effectiveness of the program, 80 people with SMI and high levels of IS were selected and randomly assigned to one of two groups: program (n = 41, experimental group) or conventional treatment (n = 39, control group). RESULTS: Mixed analysis of variance showed improvements in total IS and all of its dimensions (cognitive, emotional and behavioral) (p ≤ 0.01) and in depressive symptomatology (p = 0.01) in the experimental group after the treatment phase. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the program effectively reduces IS and its dimensions as well as other relevant associated variables in a sample of people with SMI.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Internalized stigma (IS) is a key factor in the recovery, quality of life and functioning of people with severe mental illness (SMI), and effective intervention programs are needed to reduce IS in all its dimensions. The aim of this report was to design and evaluate the effectiveness of a new psychological intervention group program for the reduction of IS in people with SMI. METHODS: A 9-session hands-on intervention program was designed with a group format in which different therapeutic techniques were combined. To evaluate the effectiveness of the program, 80 people with SMI and high levels of IS were selected and randomly assigned to one of two groups: program (n = 41, experimental group) or conventional treatment (n = 39, control group). RESULTS: Mixed analysis of variance showed improvements in total IS and all of its dimensions (cognitive, emotional and behavioral) (p ≤ 0.01) and in depressive symptomatology (p = 0.01) in the experimental group after the treatment phase. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the program effectively reduces IS and its dimensions as well as other relevant associated variables in a sample of people with SMI.