A Group-based Treatment for Self-stigma in People With Mental Disorders in North-east Italy
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorUniversita di Verona
About this trial
Self-stigma refers to the internalization of negative stereotypes by individuals with mental disorders, leading to beliefs that they are dangerous, aggressive, or incapable of working. This phenomenon has harmful effects on various aspects of life, such as adherence to treatment, self-esteem, quality of life, and can increase feelings of despair and suicide risk. To address these issues, the Narrative Enhancement and Cognitive Therapy (NECT) was developed. NECT is a group-based intervention consisting of 20 sessions designed to reduce self-stigma in individuals with mental disorders.
This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of NECT in 416 patients from 26 mental health centers in Northeast Italy. It is structured as a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized controlled trial with two parallel arms. The study will assess the impact of NECT on several psychological dimensions, including levels of self-stigma, self-esteem, hope, empowerment, perception of recovery, mental well-being, and stigma-related stress. The findings of this research are expected to contribute to the understanding of effective treatments for patients with mental disorders, particularly those burdened by high levels of self-stigma, and to improve their recovery outcomes.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Participants must be 18 years or older.
Individuals must have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizoid disorder, schizophreniform disorder, bipolar I or II disorder, or major depressive disorder, according to DSM-5 criteria.
Participants must be outpatients with clinical stability for at least 3 months, with no changes in pharmacological treatment during this period.
Participants must have sufficient knowledge of written and spoken Italian.
Disqualifiers
Individuals unable to provide informed consent are excluded.
Participants with intellectual disabilities are excluded.
Individuals with primary diagnosis of personality disorder or substance dependence condition are excluded.
Participants engaged in other programs that could influence self-stigma (e.g., social cognitive rehabilitation, social skills training) during the study are excluded.
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Narrative Enhancement Cognitive Therapy (NECT)
Treatment groups
416 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsSponsors and collaborators
Source ClinicalTrials.gov