Abstract

FELICISSIMO, Flaviane Bevilaqua et al. Internalized stigma and self-esteem: a systematic review of the literature. Psicol. teor. prat. [online]. 2013, vol.15, n.1, pp. 116-129. ISSN 1516-3687.

Studies have suggested that one of the main consequences of that internalized stigma is the decrease of self-esteem. Considering this: the present study aimed to analyze the scientific production about internalized stigma and self-esteem. The searches were conducted in Psycinfo, Scielo and Lilacs databases, with the following keywords: "self-stigma", "internalized stigma" and "self-esteem". The sample was composed by 19 articles that met the inclusion criteria. The results showed a lack of publications in the area and a predominance of studies using samples of individuals with mental disorders. Still, most studies found a negative relationship between internalized stigma and self-esteem, though it was not possible to identify a causal relationship between these variables. It is concluded that self-esteem is an important variable to be considered regarding interventions intending to decrease internalized stigma. This study highlights the need to explore diverse samples to expand the understanding of the topic.

Keywords : stigmatization; social stigma; self-esteem; systematic review; mental health.

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