The Relationship Between Trait Mindfulness and Depression Severity Among People With Schizophrenia: The Role of Perceived Public Stigma Toward Mental Illness

Background: Studies have found that trait mindfulness is associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms among people diagnosed with schizophrenia. Still, the role of the perceived public stigma in this association has yet to be established.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to assess the association between mindfulness and depressive symptoms experienced by people diagnosed with schizophrenia, controlling for the impact of their demographics and their perceived public stigma against mental illness.

Methods: A quantitative descriptive correlational design was used. The sample included 184 Jordanian outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia who completed self-administered measures of mindfulness, depressive symptoms, public stigma against mental illness, and demographic information. Multiple hierarchical regression analysis was performed to identify the unique variance in perceived depression explained by participants’ demographic and clinical variables, public stigma, and mindfulness.

Results: Participants had moderate perceived discrimination and moderate to severe depression. Age, gender, perceived physical pain, perceived public stigma, and mindfulness were significantly correlated with depression among the study participants. After controlling for demographic and clinical variables, public stigma was significantly associated with depression and accounted for 14% additional variance above and beyond the 37% accounted for by demographic and clinical variables. Mindfulness accounted for a 15% additional variance above and beyond the variance accounted for by all other predictors.

Conclusion: Anti-stigma programs could be combined with mindfulness-based interventions to reduce depression in people diagnosed with schizophrenia.