Who Comes Out With Their Mental Illness and How Does It Help?

Coming out with mental illness may be an effective strategy for reducing self-stigma. This study examined predictors and consequences of coming out. Participants (N = 106) with severe mental illness who reported being out (n = 79) or not out (n = 27) endorsed benefits of being out (BBOs) and reasons for staying in. Predictors from baseline measures were self-stigma, insight, and psychiatric diagnosis. Three outcome measures-basic psychological needs, care engagement, and depression-were also completed at baseline and 1-month follow-up. Among participants already out, BBOs and reasons for staying in were significantly and independently associated with self-stigma, insight, and lifetime affective diagnoses. In terms of consequences, BBOs were associated with cross-sectional and 1-month measures of engagement for those already out, but not for closeted participants. Among closeted participants, BBOs were associated with baseline and 1-month measures of basic psychological needs. Implications for strategies meant to promote disclosure in order to decrease self-stigma are considered.

The Influence of Non-Misogynous and Mixed Portrayals of Intimate Partner Violence in Music on Beliefs About Intimate Partner Violence.

In this study, we investigated the effect of songs that offer non-misogynous and ambivalent portrayals of intimate partner violence (IPV). Participants ( N = 103) were exposed to a misogynous song about IPV, a song critical of IPV, and a song that offered an ambivalent portrayal of IPV. Our results showed positive effects of the anti-IPV song, and both positive and negative effects of the ambivalent portrayal on participants' beliefs about a violent relationship. These findings suggest that the context in which IPV is portrayed should be considered when evaluating the impact of media depicting IPV.