A Group-based Treatment for Self-stigma in People With Mental Disorders in North-east Italy

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Stigma, Mental Disorders, Self-stigma

In brief

Self-stigma refers to the internalization of negative stereotypes by individuals with mental disorders, leading to beliefs that they are dangerous, aggressive, or incapable of working. This phenomenon has harmful effects on various aspects of life, such as adherence to treatment, self-esteem, quality of life, and can increase feelings of despair and suicide risk. To address these issues, the Narrative Enhancement and Cognitive Therapy (NECT) was developed. NECT is a group-based intervention consisting of 20 sessions designed to reduce self-stigma in individuals with mental disorders. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of NECT in 416 patients from 26 mental health centers in Northeast Italy. It is structured as a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized controlled trial with two parallel arms. The study will assess the impact of NECT on several psychological dimensions, including levels of self-stigma, self-esteem, hope, empowerment, perception of recovery, mental well-being, and stigma-related stress. The findings of this research are expected to contribute to the understanding of effective treatments for patients with mental disorders, particularly those burdened by high levels of self-stigma, and to improve their recovery outcomes.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06567145

Run by

Universita di Verona

People needed

416

Starts

2024-10-01

Expected to finish

2025-10-01

Last updated by the study team

2024-11-26

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Participants must be 18 years or older.
• Individuals must have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizoid disorder, schizophreniform disorder, bipolar I or II disorder, or major depressive disorder, according to DSM-5 criteria.
• Participants must be outpatients with clinical stability for at least 3 months, with no changes in pharmacological treatment during this period.
• Participants must have sufficient knowledge of written and spoken Italian.
• Participants must score above 1 on the ISMI (Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness) scale, indicating at least moderate levels of self-stigma.

You may not qualify if…

• Individuals unable to provide informed consent are excluded.
• Participants with intellectual disabilities are excluded.
• Individuals with primary diagnosis of personality disorder or substance dependence condition are excluded.
• Participants engaged in other programs that could influence self-stigma (e.g., social cognitive rehabilitation, social skills training) during the study are excluded.

Where it is running

• Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata (AOUI) Verona — Verona, Italy (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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