Self-Stigma and Strategic Disclosure Among College and University Students: Honest, Open, Proud-College
摘要
Internalized or self-stigma is a significant concern for college students, especially those experiencing mental distress. It negatively affects self-esteem, empowerment, and hope, leading to the “why try” effect, which undermines functioning and deters students from seeking support or fully engaging in their academic and social environments. This chapter discusses a regressive model of self-stigma within the college context. Drawing from social psychology literature, we highlight how disclosure can counteract the negative effects of secrecy. With the primary aim of alleviating stigma stress and supporting informed decision-making regarding disclosure, Honest, Open, Proud—College (HOP-C) is an effective anti-stigma approach implemented on campuses in the United States and Canada. It consists of three sessions led by trained peer facilitators, targeting groups of six to ten students. HOP-C helps participants evaluate the pros and cons of disclosing their mental health status, teaches relatively safe ways to disclose, should the student decide to do so, and guides students in crafting narratives that align with their disclosure goals. The chapter concludes by summarizing the growing evidence supporting HOP-C and offering recommendations for its implementation and future research directions.