The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse
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Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse · May 2014
Stigma predicts residential treatment length for substance use disorder.
Stigma has been suggested as a possible contributor to the high rates of treatment attrition in substance-dependent individuals, but no published empirical studies have examined this association. ⋯ These results are consistent with other findings suggesting that people with higher self-stigma may have a lowered sense of self-efficacy and heightened fear of being stigmatized and therefore retreat into more protected settings such as residential treatment, potentially resulting in higher treatment costs. Specialized clinical interventions may be necessary to help participants cope with reduced self-efficacy and fear of being stigmatized.