Stigma and social acceptance of individuals who use substances: the moderating role of collectivistic cultural orientation

Abstract

Theoretical and empirical work suggests that stereotypes associated with mental health conditions automatically lead to stigmatizing attitudes toward individuals with mental health problems. However, the downstream path from stigma to social rejection may not be automatic: Certain factors may buffer the association between stigmatizing attitudes and social rejection. Theoretical work also emphasizes the significance of considering cultural factors, such as cultural orientations, in understanding the effects of stigma related to mental health conditions. We aimed to examine the role of cultural orientations within the context of the association between substance use stigma and social acceptance. Participants from Turkey (N = 200) completed measures on substance use stigma, cultural orientations, and social acceptance of individuals who use substances. To investigate the main and interaction (moderating) effects of stigmatizing attitudes and cultural orientations on social acceptance of individuals who use substances, multiple linear regression analysis was conducted. We found that low stigma and high collectivistic orientation had independent associations with social acceptance. Furthermore, collectivistic orientation moderated the association between stigmatizing attitudes and social acceptance. Specifically, higher levels of substance use stigma were associated with lower levels of social acceptance of individuals who use substances only for participants who scored lower on collectivistic orientation. The collectivistic values of social connectedness and prioritization of the group needs might explain the social acceptance among individuals who have a higher collectivistic orientation, even when stigmatizing attitudes are high. Results have implications for interventions and policies to help increase social acceptance of individuals who use substances.