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Development and Psychometric Properties of Associative Stigma in Mental Healthcare Providers Scale (ESA-MHP)

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Abstract

Associative stigma in mental health providers affects the relationship between the professional and the person with mental illness and the well-being of the mental health provider. Few instruments have been developed for these purposes; most lack good psychometric properties. This is a quantitative, observational, and cross-sectional study. The factorial structure, internal consistency, and concurrent validity of the Associative Stigma in Mental Healthcare Providers Scale were studied. Two independent samples were recruited; both include mental health provider in primary and specialty care (N = 272 and N = 419). The final scale consisted of ten items, divided into two factors: negative attitudes toward mental healthcare work, seven items (a = 0.80; w = 0.84), and shame on disclosure, three items (a = 0.55; w = 0.79). The internal consistency for the total scale was acceptable (a = 0.78 and w = 0.90). The concurrent validity presented moderate and significant correlations with depersonalization and emotional exhaustion ranging between rp = 0.14 and rp = 0.22. The Associative Stigma in Mental Healthcare Providers Scale has a factorial structure and adequate level of internal consistency and concurrent validity, which supports its use among healthcare providers.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are availablefrom the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to the Health Directorates and Municipal Health Directorates of Health Areas of Concepción, Talcahuano, Maule, Osorno, Biobío, Ñuble, and Arauco, for supporting and providing the facilities for their staff to participate in this research.

Funding

Data collection and preliminary analysis were collected for a project National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT) (Doctoral grant 2015, Nº 21150358). Funding was awarded to the first author in 2015. These findings were presented as a doctoral dissertation in 2021. Mental Health Doctorate Program. Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Medicine, Universidad de Concepción.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Concepción, Chacabuco Esquina Janequeo S/N, 4030000, Concepción, Bio Bío, Chile

    Alexis Vielma-Aguilera

  2. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Víctor Lamas 1290, 4030000, Concepción, Bío Bío, Chile

    Pamela Grandón, Claudio Bustos & Dany Fernández

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  1. Alexis Vielma-Aguilera
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  2. Pamela Grandón
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  3. Claudio Bustos
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  4. Dany Fernández
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Contributions

Conceptualization: AV-A, PG; methodology: CB; formal analysis and investigation: CB, AV-A, PG; writing—original draft preparation: AV-A, CB, DF, PG; writing—review and editing: AV-A, DF, PG; funding acquisition: AV-A; resources: DF; supervision: AV-A, PG.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pamela Grandón.

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Ethical Approval

The study was approved by the Conjoint Faculty Ethical Review Board at the Universidad de Concepción and Conjoint Ethical Review Board at the Health Areas of Concepción, Talcahuano, Maule, Osorno, Biobío, Ñuble, and Arauco, Chile.

Consent to Participate

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Conflict of Interest

Alexis Vielma-Aguilera has received research grants from the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT) (Doctoral grant 2015, Nº 21150358). Claudio Bustos, Dany Fernandez, and Pamela Grandon have no conflict of interest.

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Vielma-Aguilera, A., Grandón, P., Bustos, C. et al. Development and Psychometric Properties of Associative Stigma in Mental Healthcare Providers Scale (ESA-MHP). Int J Ment Health Addiction (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-024-01241-z

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