Courtesy stigma toward parents of adolescents with cannabis use disorder: examining the role of language and gender in a Canadian sample

Parents of individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) may be stigmatized by association, known as <i>courtesy stigma</i>. Language may influence SUD stigma, and parents impacted by a child’s SUD have identified the terms ‘enabler’ and ‘codependent’ as stigmatizing. This study examined how language and parent gender influence public perceptions of courtesy stigma toward the parent of an adolescent with cannabis use disorder (CUD). Participants (324 Canadian adults) read a vignette depicting the relationship between a parent and their adolescent child with CUD. The vignette varied by the language describing the parent (deficit-based/neutral) and parent gender (mother/father). Stigma toward the parent was assessed using three Attribution Questionnaire subscales (help/interact, responsibility, and negative emotions). 2 × 2 ANOVAs revealed more willingness to help the father and more negative emotions toward the parent when described using deficit-based language. Perceived responsibility of the parent did not differ by language or parent gender depicted in the vignette. The findings provide preliminary evidence that using deficit-based terminology like ‘enabler’ and ‘codependent’ may contribute to courtesy stigma toward parents of children with SUD. The results highlight the importance of using person-first, neutral language when referring to parents of individuals with SUD.