The Roles of Empathy, Proximity, and Identity in Alzheimer’s Disease Stigma

= 419) completed self-report measures assessing these constructs. Empathy was the strongest predictor of AD stigma, negatively related to stigmatizing attitudes and fully mediating the relationship between moral identity internalization and stigma. In contrast, identity distress was linked to higher stigma, both directly and indirectly through its negative association with empathy. Proximity to someone with AD was also associated with lower stigma, suggesting that proximity may promote more positive attitudes. These findings highlight the possible central role of empathy in mitigating stigma and suggest that interventions fostering empathic concern, alongside addressing identity-related distress, may help mitigate negative perceptions of individuals with AD.