[Contribution to the Italian validation of the Chronic Illness Anticipated Stigma Scale (CIASS)]

Background. Interpersonal relationships contribute to the psychological adjustments to chronic disease, directly affecting health and, more generally, life satisfaction of patients. Those factors are often threatened by the fear of becoming target of prejudices and discrimination from those who share their daily life with. Thus, this study proposes a contribution to the Italian adaptation and validation of the Chronic Illness Anticipated Stigma Scale (CIASS), a brief questionnaire (12 items) that aims to assess perceived stigma of chronic illness patients in family, work and health care contexts. Method. 279 chronic illness patients have completed the questionnaire, comparing the scores with those obtained in depression (BDI-Il), anxiety (STAI), and internalized stigma scales. Results. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the Italian sample has shown the same structure of the original questionnaire, composed by three dimensions of anticipated stigma, experienced with family and friends, work colleagues and health care providers. Correlation analyses confirm the relation between scores of anticipated stigma and other mental health indicators as anxiety and depression. Conclusion. Italian version of CIASS demonstrates to be a valid and reliable instrument, considering it both as an indicator of person's state of health and a promising marker of the specific kind of perceived discrimination in family, care and working contexts.