Study examines how mentally ill patients' own perceptions affect their well-being

Each year, one in four U.S. adults suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder according to the National Institute of Mental Health. When diagnosed, such individuals often are culturally labeled as a “mentally ill person,” which can affect negatively their social and psychological well-being. This may result in a higher rate of unemployment, lower earnings and greater feelings of demoralization.

In a recently published Social Psychology Quarterly study, Dr. Amy Kroska, Kent State associate professor of sociology, examined how the stigma of mental illness affects patients who have recently been diagnosed with a mental disorder. Specifically, she found that patients’ perceptions of the mentally ill affect the way they see themselves and that these perceptions may exacerbate their mental illness.