Severity and predictors of internalised stigma among people with epilepsy in Poland

2025
journal article
article
1
dc.abstract.enAim of study. This study was aimed at exploring the intensity and associated factors of internalised stigma (or self-stigma) among Polish patients diagnosed with epilepsy.Clinical rationale for study. People with chronic diseases are commonly stigmatised in society. Some patients tend also to self-stigmatise, i.e. apply to oneself, accept and internalise negative stereotypes about their condition, which can result in a variety of adverse health outcomes and an impaired quality of life.Material and methods. A total of 120 patients with epilepsy treated in the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw were recruited. They were administered a set of self-report measures assessing internalised stigma, social network, material well-being, cultural capital, and level of disability. Socio-demographic and health-related data was also recorded. Hierarchical linear multiple regression analysis was used to identify factors independently related to the severity of internalised stigma.Results. 66 (55.0%) participants reported experiencing minimal or no internalised stigma, 34 (28.3%) reported mild, 18 (15.0%) moderate, and two (1.7%) severe internalised stigma. In the final regression model, independent predictors of lesser internalised stigma turned out to be a larger and supportive social network (β = –0.36, p < 0.01) and greater cultural capital (β = –0.17, p < 0.05). Stronger internalised stigma was predicted when three or more antiseizure medications were used (β = 0.33, p < 0.01), and when there were higher levels of disability (β = 0.25, p < 0.01).Conclusions. Although only a minority of patients with epilepsy in our sample reported moderate or high levels of internalised stigma, this remains a major clinical and social problem. These research results highlight the importance of personal resources (such as a supportive social network and high cultural capital) as factors protecting against internalising epilepsy stigma. Also, the indicators of the severity of the disease (such as the number of antiseizure medications used and the degree of disability) have been predictive factors associated with greater vulnerability to the development of self-stigmatised identity.Clinical implications. In clinical practice, patients with epilepsy should be screened for their tendency to self-stigmatise. There is a need to devise effective interventions to target internalised stigma associated with epilepsy, and to incorporate them into comprehensive therapeutic programmes for patients with this diagnosis.
dc.affiliationWydział Filozoficzny : Instytut Pedagogiki
dc.contributor.authorŚwitaj, Piotr
dc.contributor.authorGrygiel, Paweł - 394072
dc.contributor.authorKożuch, Nina
dc.contributor.authorSienkiewicz-Jarosz, Halina
dc.date.accessioned2025-09-05T11:40:21Z
dc.date.available2025-09-05T11:40:21Z
dc.date.createdat2025-08-22T23:30:18Zen
dc.date.issued2025
dc.date.openaccess0
dc.description.accesstimew momencie opublikowania
dc.description.number3
dc.description.physical231-239
dc.description.versionostateczna wersja wydawcy
dc.description.volume59
dc.identifier.doi10.5603/pjnns.103495
dc.identifier.eissn0028-3843
dc.identifier.issn0028-3843
dc.identifier.projectDRC AI
dc.identifier.urihttps://ruj.uj.edu.pl/handle/item/559742
dc.languageeng
dc.language.containereng
dc.rightsUdzielam licencji. Uznanie autorstwa - Użycie niekomercyjne - Bez utworów zależnych 4.0 Międzynarodowa
dc.rights.licenceCC-BY-NC-ND
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode.pl
dc.share.typeotwarte czasopismo
dc.subject.enepilepsy
dc.subject.enpsychosocial factors
dc.subject.enhealth-related stigma
dc.subject.enself-stigma
dc.subject.encultural capital
dc.subject.ensocial network
dc.subject.endisability
dc.subject.enantiseizure medications
dc.subtypeArticle
dc.titleSeverity and predictors of internalised stigma among people with epilepsy in Poland
dc.title.journalNeurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typePublicationen
dc.abstract.en
Aim of study. This study was aimed at exploring the intensity and associated factors of internalised stigma (or self-stigma) among Polish patients diagnosed with epilepsy.Clinical rationale for study. People with chronic diseases are commonly stigmatised in society. Some patients tend also to self-stigmatise, i.e. apply to oneself, accept and internalise negative stereotypes about their condition, which can result in a variety of adverse health outcomes and an impaired quality of life.Material and methods. A total of 120 patients with epilepsy treated in the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw were recruited. They were administered a set of self-report measures assessing internalised stigma, social network, material well-being, cultural capital, and level of disability. Socio-demographic and health-related data was also recorded. Hierarchical linear multiple regression analysis was used to identify factors independently related to the severity of internalised stigma.Results. 66 (55.0%) participants reported experiencing minimal or no internalised stigma, 34 (28.3%) reported mild, 18 (15.0%) moderate, and two (1.7%) severe internalised stigma. In the final regression model, independent predictors of lesser internalised stigma turned out to be a larger and supportive social network (β = –0.36, p < 0.01) and greater cultural capital (β = –0.17, p < 0.05). Stronger internalised stigma was predicted when three or more antiseizure medications were used (β = 0.33, p < 0.01), and when there were higher levels of disability (β = 0.25, p < 0.01).Conclusions. Although only a minority of patients with epilepsy in our sample reported moderate or high levels of internalised stigma, this remains a major clinical and social problem. These research results highlight the importance of personal resources (such as a supportive social network and high cultural capital) as factors protecting against internalising epilepsy stigma. Also, the indicators of the severity of the disease (such as the number of antiseizure medications used and the degree of disability) have been predictive factors associated with greater vulnerability to the development of self-stigmatised identity.Clinical implications. In clinical practice, patients with epilepsy should be screened for their tendency to self-stigmatise. There is a need to devise effective interventions to target internalised stigma associated with epilepsy, and to incorporate them into comprehensive therapeutic programmes for patients with this diagnosis.
dc.affiliation
Wydział Filozoficzny : Instytut Pedagogiki
dc.contributor.author
Świtaj, Piotr
dc.contributor.author
Grygiel, Paweł - 394072
dc.contributor.author
Kożuch, Nina
dc.contributor.author
Sienkiewicz-Jarosz, Halina
dc.date.accessioned
2025-09-05T11:40:21Z
dc.date.available
2025-09-05T11:40:21Z
dc.date.createdaten
2025-08-22T23:30:18Z
dc.date.issued
2025
dc.date.openaccess
0
dc.description.accesstime
w momencie opublikowania
dc.description.number
3
dc.description.physical
231-239
dc.description.version
ostateczna wersja wydawcy
dc.description.volume
59
dc.identifier.doi
10.5603/pjnns.103495
dc.identifier.eissn
0028-3843
dc.identifier.issn
0028-3843
dc.identifier.project
DRC AI
dc.identifier.uri
https://ruj.uj.edu.pl/handle/item/559742
dc.language
eng
dc.language.container
eng
dc.rights
Udzielam licencji. Uznanie autorstwa - Użycie niekomercyjne - Bez utworów zależnych 4.0 Międzynarodowa
dc.rights.licence
CC-BY-NC-ND
dc.rights.uri
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode.pl
dc.share.type
otwarte czasopismo
dc.subject.en
epilepsy
dc.subject.en
psychosocial factors
dc.subject.en
health-related stigma
dc.subject.en
self-stigma
dc.subject.en
cultural capital
dc.subject.en
social network
dc.subject.en
disability
dc.subject.en
antiseizure medications
dc.subtype
Article
dc.title
Severity and predictors of internalised stigma among people with epilepsy in Poland
dc.title.journal
Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska
dc.type
JournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeen
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