Abstract
Abstract
Background
People with mental disorders face frequent stigmatizing attitudes and behaviors from others. Importantly, they can internalize such negative attitudes and thus self-stigmatize. Self-stigma is involved in diminished coping skills leading to social avoidance and difficulties in adhering to care. Reducing self-stigma and its emotional corollary, shame, is thus crucial to attenuate the negative outcomes associated with mental illness. Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) is a third-wave cognitive behavioral therapy that targets shame reduction and hostile self-to-self relationship and allows for symptom improvement while increasing self-compassion. Although shame is a prominent part of the concept of self-stigma, the efficacy of CFT has never been evaluated in individuals with high levels of self-stigma. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and acceptability of a group-based CFT program on self-stigma, compared to a psychoeducation program for self-stigma (Ending Self-Stigma) and to treatment as usual (TAU). We hypothesize that diminished shame and emotional dysregulation and increased self-compassion will mediate the relationship between self-stigma improvements post-therapy in the experimental group.
Methods
This seven-center trial will involve 336 participants diagnosed with a severe mental illness and/or autism spectrum disorder and reporting high levels of self-stigma. Participants will be randomized into one of three treatment arms: 12 week-treatment of compassion-focused therapy (experimental arm), 12 week-treatment of Psychoeducation (active control arm), and TAU (treatment as usual—passive control arm). The primary outcome is the decrease of self-stigma scores on a self-report scale, i.e., ISMI, at 12 weeks. Secondary endpoints include sustainability of self-stigma scores (ISMI) and self-reported scores regarding target psychological dimensions, e.g., shame and emotional regulation, social functioning, and psychiatric symptoms. Assessments are scheduled at pretreatment, post-treatment (at 12 weeks), and at 6-month follow-up. Acceptability will be evaluated via (i) the Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire at T0, (ii) the Consumer Satisfaction Questionnaire for Psychotherapeutic Services posttreatment and at 6-month follow-up, (iii) attendance, and (iv) dropout rates.
Discussion
This study will evaluate the potential efficacy and acceptability of a group-based CFT program on the decrease of self-stigma and thereby contribute to the continuing development of evidence-based therapeutic interventions for the internalized stigma of mental and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05698589. Registered on January 26, 2023
Funder
Direction Générale de l’offre de Soins
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Pharmacology (medical),Medicine (miscellaneous)
Cited by
3 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献