Diagnostic Labeling and Mental Illness Stigma Among Black Americans: An Experimental Vignette Stud

Despite research indicating Black Americans’ significant endorsement of stigma toward individuals with mental illnesses and susceptibility to stigma’s detrimental effects on help-seeking for mental health problems, stigma has not been adequately studied within this community. This study used experimental design with vignettes to examine the influence of labeling with a specific mental disorder versus providing an alternative explanation for symptoms on Black Americans’ stigmatization of depression, social anxiety, alcohol use disorder, and schizophrenia. One hundred six Black American adults completed the study. Through random assignment, 59 participants were placed in the labeling condition and 47 were placed in the alternative-explanation condition. Findings indicated that schizophrenia was generally the most stigmatized disorder and social anxiety was least stigmatized. Alcohol use disorder was just as stigmatized as was schizophrenia in most cases. Having a diagnostic label predicted increased desire for social distance from vignette subjects with depressive symptoms only. This study has implications for interventions to reduce Black Americans’ stigmatization of people with mental illness, as well as stigmatization of mental health treatment.