Perceived social stigma towards mental illness and correlates in Chinese family caregivers of people with severe mental illness

Objective: Stigma surrounding mental illness remains a significant concern globally, impacting not only individuals with mental illness but also their family caregivers. Perceived social stigma, has been rarely studied in family caregivers. This study aimed to investigate the perceived social stigma towards mental illness and its correlates among Chinese family caregivers of people with severe mental illness (SMI). Methods: Using convenience sampling, 325 Chinese family caregivers of people with SMI were recruited from March to November 2023 in this cross-sectional study, in Changsha, Hunan, China. Participants completed a questionnaire on demographic and caregiving characteristics, perceived social stigma, social support, and psychological distress. Descriptive analysis and multiple linear regression were conducted. Results: Family caregivers reported lower levels of perceived social stigma compared with previous studies on general populations. Education background, caregiving duration, diagnosis of SMI, support from friends, and psychological distress correlated with perceived social stigma (p < 0.05). Discussion: Family caregivers of people with SMI should be considered a vital population on whom to focus anti-stigma interventions. Reducing perceived social stigma could be beneficial for the mental health of family caregivers, and interventions aimed at bolstering peer support networks for family caregivers may be helpful.