Psychophysiological evaluation of stigma towards schizophrenia

Stigma is a potentially destructive phenomenon that may result in negative consequences for individuals diagnosed or labeled as having a mental illness. Several recent studies suggest that contact with various stigmatized out-group members result in psychophysiological reactions indicative of negative affect. It is unclear whether such reactions extend to encounters with individuals with mental illness. Participants imagined interacting with individuals labeled or unlabeled as having schizophrenia, while corrugator supercilii (brow) EMG, palmer skin conductance, and heart rate activity were monitored. Participants were 15 males and 20 females mainly African American students between the ages of 18 and 28 who attended a historically black university in the Southeastern region of the United States. Participants reported higher SUDS ratings and exhibited higher brow muscle tension during imagery with labeled than non-labeled individuals. Psychophysiological reactivity predicted global self-reported attitudes of stigma towards labeled individuals. The findings suggest that one reason why individuals avoid individuals with mental illness is physiological arousal, which is likely experienced as negative.