Influence of Provider Gender on Mental Health Stigma

This study examined gender differences in mental health providers’ stigma toward people with mental illness. As part of a larger professional education needs assessment at a VA healthcare system, 77 mental health providers of various disciplines completed a self-report measure of stigma towards people with various mental health diagnoses. Results indicated that male mental health providers hold significantly more stigmatizing views toward people with schizophrenia and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is consistent with provider gender differences found in other areas of study and theories of stigma and masculinity. These results can be used to build on stigma reduction interventions. Future research should continue to examine the underlying reasons for gender differences among providers.