Does perceived control mediate the relationship between stigma and well-being for individuals with Parkinson's disease?

Introduction: Stigma is a known correlate of well-being for many neurological conditions. Perceived control is also an important variable in models of adaptation to living with a health condition. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the perception of control mediates the relationship between stigma and well-being in people with Parkinson's disease. Methods: Two hundred and twenty-nine individuals completed quantitative measures of stigma and perceived control, and a full exploration of the concept of well-being (including health-related quality of life, depression, anxiety, stress and positive affect). A series of mediation models investigated whether perceived control mediated the relationship between stigma and each measure of well-being. Results: Mediational regression analyses indicated that the perception of control mediated the relationship between stigma and health-related quality of life, depression and positive affect. Perceived control did not, however, mediate the relationship between stigma and anxiety nor between stigma and stress. Conclusions: These findings suggest that in people with Parkinson's disease, perceived control may play an important role in explaining the relationship between stigma and some aspects of well-being. Both stigma and perceived control should be considered within clinical and everyday environmental settings for individuals with Parkinson's disease. Interventions which focus on both reducing stigma and increasing perceived control are outlined.