This thesis provides epistemological, methodological and empirical contributions to the literature on mental health-related stigma. First, I critically examined the epistemological and ontological foundations of predominating mental health-related anti-stigma campaigns. This evidenced that public health approaches to mental health-related stigma pay insufficient attention to the social identities and contexts through which people embody their understandings of mental health and illness in daily life. Next, I explored the methodological challenges in exploring mental health-related stigma. In particular, I highlighted the difficulty in drawing out the public's often taken-for-granted beliefs and affects, and evidence the value of using mixed methodological approaches and triangulation designs to explore public representations of 'intimate' forms of inter-group contact. Next, drawing on network and thematic analyses, I explored mental health and illness representations in the media, focus groups, and one-to-one interviews. This evidenced that public understanding of mental health and illness is motivated. Specifically, people conceived mental health and illness as 'beyond' comprehension and 'not- me' to maintain their position within the social order. To understand why mental health related-stigma is a motivated process, I reviewed the social histories through which 'mental health' and 'illness' are reproduced in culture. Finally, I outlined the implications of the studies for new directions in mental health-related anti-stigma efforts and research and highlight the value of exploring mutual support groups as a strategy for stigma alleviation.
An exploration into social representations of ‘mental illness.’
Walsh, D. (Author). 1 Apr 2022
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy