Date of Award
Fall 2022
Degree Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice
Committee Chair
Dr. Carolyn Coleman
Committee Chair School
Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice
Committee Member 2
Dr. Lakenya Forthner
Abstract
Self-stigma is an important factor that hinders help seeking through the use of mental health services. “Self-stigma is the reduction of an individual’s self-esteem or self-worth caused by the individual self-labeling herself or himself as someone who is socially unacceptable” (Vogel et al., 2006, p. 325). Attitudes have suggested both men and women struggle with depression in this population, and that they are reluctant to addressing psychological problems. Most are overly concerned about the stigma associated with mental illness. Though some are open to seeking treatment through mental health services, religious coping in this community is the most preferred method of sustaining.
The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to evaluate the stigma toward counseling in the African American community. A pre and post-test was created utilizing questions from the 10-item Self-Stigma of Seeking Help (SSOSH) scale. Participants indicated their agreement on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). A single PICO guided this project, “In African Americans ages 20 to 45 (P) does implementing a screening tool for self-stigma (I) versus no screening tool for self-stigma (C) increase awareness and willingness to participate in therapy (O)?”
This DNP project was conducted in the rural town of Newton, Mississippi. Thirty (N=30) participants were deemed eligible to participate in the project. Analysis showed a p-value of less than 0.001. There was a mean difference of 4.733 between the pre- and post-responses to the negatively oriented questions, indicating a change in the participants’ perception from pre-test to post-test, hence a successful intervention and identification of underlying stigma.
Copyright
Jamaica Chapman, 2022
Recommended Citation
Chapman, Jamaica, "EVALUATING THE STIGMA TOWARD COUNSELING IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY" (2022). Doctoral Projects. 208.
https://aquila.usm.edu/dnp_capstone/208
Included in
African Studies Commons, American Studies Commons, Counseling Commons, Counseling Psychology Commons, Educational Psychology Commons, Experimental Analysis of Behavior Commons, Human Factors Psychology Commons, Urban Studies Commons