Self-Esteem, Self-Stigma, and Stigmatization among People with Mental Illness in Japan Who Have Work Experience

Self-stigma of mental illness hinders work and reduces self-esteem. The aim of the study was to examine self-esteem, self-stigma, and stigmatisation among people with mental illness in Japan who had work experience. Survey respondents were 191 patients with mental illnesses in Japan. Self-esteem and self-stigma were measured, and associations between participants’ characteristics and these variables were explored. Most study participants were males (69.1%); 103 participants had schizophrenia (53.9%). Self-esteem differed significantly by type of support facility, age at onset, psychiatric hospitalisation, income, part-time work, treatment at work, consultation, reasons for unemployment and motivations for employment. Significant negative influences on self-stigma were not living alone, not disclosing the illness to colleagues, not citing mental illness as a reason for unemployment and not working for a living. It is necessary to improve working environments to ensure that people with mental illnesses can work by introducing anti-stigma countermeasures.