Milton Wainberg1, Andrea Norcini Pala2, Francine Cournos1, Karen McKinnon3. 1. Columbia University Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute. 2. HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University. 3. New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University HIV Behavioral Health Training.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the psychometric properties of a new instrument "Mental Illness Sexual Stigma Questionnaire" (MISS-Q). METHODS: We interviewed 641 sexually active adults (ages 18-80) attending public outpatient psychiatric clinics in Rio de Janeiro about their stigma experiences. RESULTS: Nine factors were extracted through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and labeled: 'individual discrimination by others'; 'staff willingness to talk about sexuality'; 'staff and family prohibitions'; 'sexual devaluation of self'; 'perceived attractiveness'; 'mental illness concealment'; 'perceived sexual role competence'; 'withdrawal'; and 'locus of social-sexual control'. 'Withdrawal' and 'locus of social-sexual control' showed poor psychometric properties and were excluded from further analysis. The remaining seven factors had high factorial loadings (.39 to .86), varying from sufficient to optimal reliability (Ordinal α ranged from .57 to .88), and good convergent and discriminant validity. CONCLUSIONS: The resulting MISS-Q is the first instrument assessing mental illness sexual stigma with demonstrated psychometric properties. It may prove useful in reducing stigma, protecting sexual health, and promoting recovery.
OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the psychometric properties of a new instrument "Mental Illness Sexual Stigma Questionnaire" (MISS-Q). METHODS: We interviewed 641 sexually active adults (ages 18-80) attending public outpatient psychiatric clinics in Rio de Janeiro about their stigma experiences. RESULTS: Nine factors were extracted through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and labeled: 'individual discrimination by others'; 'staff willingness to talk about sexuality'; 'staff and family prohibitions'; 'sexual devaluation of self'; 'perceived attractiveness'; 'mental illness concealment'; 'perceived sexual role competence'; 'withdrawal'; and 'locus of social-sexual control'. 'Withdrawal' and 'locus of social-sexual control' showed poor psychometric properties and were excluded from further analysis. The remaining seven factors had high factorial loadings (.39 to .86), varying from sufficient to optimal reliability (Ordinal α ranged from .57 to .88), and good convergent and discriminant validity. CONCLUSIONS: The resulting MISS-Q is the first instrument assessing mental illness sexual stigma with demonstrated psychometric properties. It may prove useful in reducing stigma, protecting sexual health, and promoting recovery.
Entities:
Keywords:
Stigma; psychometric assessment; severe mental illness; sexual and romantic relationships
Authors: Milton L Wainberg; M Alfredo González; Karen McKinnon; Katherine S Elkington; Diana Pinto; Claudio Gruber Mann; Paulo E Mattos Journal: Soc Sci Med Date: 2007-05-01 Impact factor: 4.634
Authors: Katherine S Elkington; Karen McKinnon; Claudio Gruber Mann; Pamela Y Collins; Cheng-Shiun Leu; Milton L Wainberg Journal: Community Ment Health J Date: 2009-06-20