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Advances in Stigma and Discrimination in Pediatric Mental Health
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Advances in Stigma and Discrimination in Pediatric Mental Health

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2025 | Viewed by 1579

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Clara González-Sanguino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, University of Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
Interests: clinical psychology; health psychology; mental health
Prof. Dr. Jairo Rodríguez-Medina

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pedagogy, University of Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
Interests: network analysis; observational methods; methodology; measurement
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mental health problems among young people are becoming more frequent, including non-fatal suicides. Stigma and discrimination associated with mental health problems are phenomena associated with negative outcomes in various dimensions, such as self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, and even poorer quality of life, well-being, and recovery. However, research on stigma in the child and adolescent population is scarce compared to studies in adults, and its repercussions and relationship with key variables at the pediatric and mental health levels are unknown. Therefore, this Special Issue will cover a wide range of study designs to further explore the impact of stigma and discrimination on the child and adolescent population. In particular, theoretically sound (systematic reviews or meta-analyses) and/or empirical contributions are welcome from mixed-methods designs, including observational, interventional (RCTs or non-randomized trials), and evaluation (e.g., validation of new instruments) studies that focus on this population.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Clara González-Sanguino
Dr. Jairo Rodríguez-Medina
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • stigma
  • discrimination
  • childhood
  • mental health
  • clinical psychology

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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22 pages, 1128 KiB  
Article
Adaptation and Implementation of a Multi-Family Group Psychoeducational Intervention for Parents of Children with Autism: A Pilot Study
by Ioanna G. Tsiouri and Angeliki Gena
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(7), 2307; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14072307 - 28 Mar 2025
Viewed by 283
Abstract
Background/Objectives: A relatively small number of studies have evaluated the effectiveness of interventions designed to ameliorate family burden and to improve family functioning for families with a child with ASD. This study aims to investigate whether a long-term multi-family group psychoeducational intervention, originally [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: A relatively small number of studies have evaluated the effectiveness of interventions designed to ameliorate family burden and to improve family functioning for families with a child with ASD. This study aims to investigate whether a long-term multi-family group psychoeducational intervention, originally developed for families including a member with a psychiatric disorder, can assist the parents of children with ASD to improve family functioning, support family rituals, and ease family burden; to understand the etiology, the characteristics, and treatment options for ASD; and to manage social and self-stigmatization. Method: We compared an intervention group (N = 3 couples—6 parents) with a waitlist control group (N = 3 couples—6 parents) by administering psychometric scales to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention on (a) family functioning, (b) family rituals, and (c) family burden. Qualitative analysis of pre- and post-intervention semi-structured interviews assessed (a) the participants’ understanding of the nature, causes, and treatments for ASD and (b) the management of social and self-stigmatization in families with a child with ASD. Results: Quantitative pre- and post-test group comparisons, as well as qualitative thematic analysis, revealed significant decreases in all parameters under study for the treatment group. Conclusions: Our findings provide pilot evidence that long-term group psychoeducation, originally designed for families including a member with a psychiatric disorder, may provide an efficacious treatment choice toward improving the general functioning of families with a child with ASD. Systematic replications of this psychoeducational intervention merit attention. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Stigma and Discrimination in Pediatric Mental Health)
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17 pages, 643 KiB  
Article
Decoding Prejudice: Understanding Patterns of Adolescent Mental Health Stigma
by Sara Albuquerque, Ana Carvalho, Bárbara de Sousa, Leonor Pereira da Costa and Ana Beato
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(4), 1394; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14041394 - 19 Feb 2025
Viewed by 736
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Mental health problems are a major cause of disability, impacting nearly 20% of adolescents. Nevertheless, they are hesitant to seek help because of stigma and fear of being labelled. Adolescents often have low mental health literacy and perceive mental health problems [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Mental health problems are a major cause of disability, impacting nearly 20% of adolescents. Nevertheless, they are hesitant to seek help because of stigma and fear of being labelled. Adolescents often have low mental health literacy and perceive mental health problems as personal failures. To address it, our study aimed to identify subgroups within the adolescent population based on mental health knowledge, social stigma, experiences of intergroup anxiety, and endorsement of stereotypes. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 182 adolescents (50.6% male) aged 10 to 17 years (M = 13.8, SD = 2.4). Participants completed an online survey comprising the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule, Attribution Questionnaire (AQ-8-C), Intergroup Anxiety Scale, and a scale regarding stereotypes towards people with mental health problems. Cluster analysis was used to identify the subgroups. Results: We identified three subgroups: (1) “Potential Advocates”, showing high mental health knowledge, low social stigma, low intergroup anxiety, and moderate endorsement of stereotypes; (2) “Ambivalents”, manifesting high mental health knowledge, moderate social stigma, heightened intergroup anxiety, and low endorsement of stereotypes; and (3) “Stigmatizers”, revealing low mental health knowledge, pronounced social stigma, moderate intergroup anxiety, and tendency to endorse stereotypes. Conclusions: The results highlight the multiplicity of perceptions regarding mental health and the pivotal role of knowledge, stigma, intergroup dynamics, and stereotypes in shaping attitudes. Implications for interventions targeting mental health stigma and fostering positive attitudes among adolescents are discussed, underscoring the importance of customised strategies to address the multiple needs and experiences characteristic of this developmental stage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Stigma and Discrimination in Pediatric Mental Health)
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