Table 4 Distribution of patients by their response to ISMI scale at UOGCSH, Northwest, Ethiopia, 2021
No | The 29 items of Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale | SD N (%) | D N (%) | A N (%) | SA N (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | I feel out of place in the world because I have a mental illness | 106 (29.0) | 159 (43.6) | 83 (22.7) | 17 (4.7) |
2 | Having a mental illness has spoiled my life | 79 (21.6) | 132 (36.2) | 118 (32.3) | 36 (9.9) |
3 | People without mental illness could not possibly understand me | 58 (15.9) | 128 (35.1) | 136 (37.3) | 43 (11.8) |
4 | I am embarrassed or ashamed that I have a mental illness | 79 (21.6) | 163 (44.7) | 101 (27.7) | 22 (6.0) |
5 | I am disappointed in myself for having a mental illness | 80 (21.6) | 153 (41.9) | 106 (29.0) | 26 (7.1) |
6 | I feel inferior to others who don’t have a mental illness | 86 (23.6) | 131 (35.9) | 103 (28.2) | 45 (12.3) |
7 | Stereotypes about the mentally ill apply to me | 68 (18.6) | 74 (20.3) | 139 (38.1) | 84 (23.0) |
8 | People can tell that I have a mental illness by the way I look | 141 (38.6) | 102 (27.9) | 94 (25.8) | 28 (7.7) |
9 | Mentally ill people tend to be violent | 170 (46.6) | 125 (34.2) | 54 (14.8) | 16 (4.4) |
10 | Because I have a mental illness, I need others to make most decisions for me | 157 (43.0) | 123 (33.7) | 71 (19.5) | 14 (3.8) |
11 | People with mental illness cannot live a good, rewarding life | 169 (46.3) | 124 (34.0) | 57 (15.6) | 15 (4.1) |
12 | Mentally ill people shouldn’t get married | 175 (47.9) | 131 (35.9) | 44 (12.1) | 15 (4.1) |
13 | I can’t contribute anything to society because I have a mental illness | 167 (45.8) | 120 (32.9) | 61 (16.7) | 17 (4.7) |
14 | People discriminate against me because I have a mental illness | 97 (26.6) | 102 (27.9) | 127 (34.8) | 39 (10.7) |
15 | Others think that I can’t achieve much in life because I have a mental illness | 101 (27.7) | 105 (28.8) | 124 (34.0) | 35 (9.6) |
16 | People ignore me or take me less seriously just because I have a mental illness | 108 (29.6) | 111 (30.4) | 113 (31.0) | 33 (9.0) |
17 | People often patronize me, or treat me like a child, just because I have a mental illness | 114 (31.2) | 114 (31.2) | 109 (29.9) | 28 (7.7) |
18 | Nobody would be interested in getting close to me because I have a mental illness | 126 (34.5) | 123 (33.7) | 94 (25.8) | 22 (6.0) |
19 | I don’t talk about myself much because I don’t want to burden others with my mental illness | 122 (33.4) | 131 (35.9) | 91 (24.9) | 21 (5.8) |
20 | I don’t socialize as much as I used to because my mental illness might make me look or behave “weird.” | 125 (34.2) | 124 (34.0) | 97 (26.6) | 19 (5.2) |
21 | Negative stereotypes about mental illness keep me isolated from the “normal” world | 129 (35.3) | 117 (32.1) | 96 (26.3) | 23 (6.3) |
22 | I stay away from social situations in order to protect my family or friends from embarrassment | 126 (34.5) | 101 (27.7) | 104 (28.5) | 34 (9.3) |
23 | Being around people who don’t have a mental illness makes me feel out of place or inadequate | 139 (38.1) | 102 (27.9) | 100 (27.4) | 24 (6.6) |
24 | I avoid getting close to people who don’t have a mental illness to avoid rejection | 146 (40.0) | 101 (27.7) | 99 (27.1) | 19 (5.2) |
25 | I feel comfortable being seen in public with an obviously mentally ill person | 136 (37.3) | 89 (24.4) | 107 (29.3) | 33 (9.0) |
26 | People with mental illness make important contributions to society | 72 (19.7) | 98 (26.8) | 152 (41.6) | 43 (11.8) |
27 | Living with mental illness has made me a tough survivor | 44 (12.1) | 89 (24.4) | 180 (49.3) | 52 (14.2) |
28 | In general, I am able to live my life the way I want to | 30 (8.2) | 85 (23.3) | 190 (52.1) | 60 (16.4) |
29 | I can have a good, fulfilling life, despite my mental illness | 45 (12.3) | 72 (19.7) | 189 (51.8) | 59 (16.2) |