Stigmatization in Mental Health and its relation to the Need for Cognitive Closure

Abstract

There are a variety of factors that cut across people's beliefs about mental health and mental illness, which can take on a stigmatizing character. This study aims to investigate the relationship between mental health stigma and the Need for Cognitive Closure, defined as the tendency to seek epistemic certainty to avoid uncertainty. In addition, we analyzed the interaction of these variables with proximity to people diagnosed with mental illness. A correlational study was conducted in a sample of 409 adults living in Argentina during the second semester of 2021. A sociodemographic questionnaire, a Spanish-language adaptation of the Day's Mental Illness Stigmatization Scale, and the Revised Test of Need for Cognitive Closure were used. As hypothesized, different aspects of stigma were associated with the Need for Cognitive Closure, and people with diagnosed significant others showed better views of bonding with such people. However, those who scored high on Need for Cognitive Closure showed poorer views even if they had an acquaintance with mental illness. In conclusion, the Need for Cognitive Closure is relevant element when considering the factors that modulate stigmatization towards people with mental disorders.