Social meanings of stigmatizing persons with mental disorders

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Abstract

The article presents the results of an empirical study conducted in March-May 2023 in Cherepovets, Vologda region. The survey of citizens on the issue of attitudes towards people with mental disorders and/or behavioral disorders is analyzed. The presence of contrasting social dispositions in the public consciousness has been established: a high prevalence of a weak degree of stigmatization with the parallel existence of radical stigmatizing ideas. Thus, the majority (84.0%) of citizens believe that a socially healthy society should show a compassionate and merciful attitude towards people suffering from mental disorders/behavioral disorders. At the same time, one in six (18.0%) considers it necessary to apply the full range of institutional discrimination measures to them, and 71.8% are ready to isolate such people even prior to their offense, while in the city of Cherepovets only 5.2% of all those under dispensary supervision are prone to commit socially dangerous actions.

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About the authors

Tatyana G. Svetlichnaya

Northern State Medical University

Author for correspondence.
Email: statiana64@yandex.ru

Dr. Sci. (Med.), Professor of the Department of Public Health, Public Health and Social Work

Russian Federation, Arkhangelsk

Elena A. Smirnova

Cherepovets State University

Email: smirnova56@yandex.ru

Cand. Sci. (Sociol.), Associate Professor of the Department of Sociology and Social Technologies

Russian Federation, Cherepovets

Olga A. Kharkova

Northern State Medical University

Email: harkova@yandex.ru

Cand. Sci. (Psych.), PhD, Associate Professor of the Department of Research Methodology

Russian Federation, Arkhangelsk

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