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Examining the Impact of Dignity Therapy on Internalized Stigma among Inpatient and Outpatient Depressed Patients Referring to a Selected Military Hospital: A Clinical Trial Study
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Zahra Tat1   , Nasrin Jafari Golestan *2  , Marziye Khalaji3 , Mohammad Hassan Kazemi Galugahi4 |
1- Nursing School, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2- Nursing Management Department, Nursing School, Aja University of Medical, Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3- Psychiatric Nursing Department, Nursing School, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4- Social Medicine Department, Medicine School, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran |
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Abstract: (718 Views) |
Introduction: Individuals with mental disorders often harbor misconceptions about psychiatric conditions due to limited awareness of mental health issues. This distorted understanding is frequently compounded by stigma and maladaptive attitudes, which in turn foster harmful discriminatory practices.
Objective: Accordingly, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dignity therapy on internalized stigma among inpatient and outpatient depressed patients at a psychiatric center.
Materials and Methods: This study was a randomized controlled clinical trial. The research population consisted of inpatient and outpatient depressed patients referred to the selected Aja psychiatric hospital in Tehran during the year 2024. A total of 72 participants were enrolled using convenience sampling and subsequently allocated to the intervention and control groups via random block randomization (six blocks of four). The intervention group received routine treatments at the treatment center in addition to dignity therapy as the primary intervention for two weeks. Data were collected using a demographic characteristics questionnaire and the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale.
Results: The results of this study indicated that prior to the intervention (dignity therapy), there was no statistically significant difference in the mean internalized stigma scores between the intervention group (3.146±0.244) and the control group (2.893±0.466). However, following the completion of the intervention, the mean internalized stigma score in the dignity therapy group (1.787±0.254) was lower than that in the control group (3.117 ± 0.219), signifying the effectiveness of dignity therapy, with the difference being statistically significant (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Dignity therapy-based interventions can be recommended as an effective approach for reducing internalized stigma. Therefore, researchers in the field of mental disorders, particularly psychiatric nurses working in specialized psychiatric centers, can incorporate this non-pharmacological method into the routine treatment of patients with depression |
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| Keywords: Clinical Trial, Depression, Dignity Therapy, Stigma |
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Full-Text [PDF 625 kb]
(307 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/02/4 | Revised: 2025/10/27 | Accepted: 2025/03/8 | Published: 2025/06/30
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