Abstract / Summary
The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between recovery stages, internalized stigma, and mindfulness in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This descriptive, correlational study was conducted with 104 patients attending a Community Mental Health Center. Data were collected using a Sociodemographic Data Form, the Stages of Recovery Instrument-30 (STORI-30), the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI), and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Data were analyzed using percentage distributions, means, Pearson correlation analysis, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The mean scores for the recovery stages were: Moratorium, 9.48 ± 6.84; Awareness, 13.25 ± 6.43; Preparation, 13.49 ± 6.13; Rebuilding, 14.84 ± 7.00; and Growth, 14.99 ± 7.28. The mean total ISMI score was 77.74 ± 14.14, and the mean MAAS score was 50.80 ± 12.74. A statistically significant difference was found in ISMI total scores across recovery stages (F = 11.917, p < .001), indicating that internalized stigma scores differed significantly according to recovery stage, being lower in the more advanced stages. No significant difference was observed in MAAS scores across recovery stages (F = 1.377, p = .247). Growth was the largest single stage group (28.8% of participants). Internalized stigma was positively correlated with the earliest stage of recovery (Moratorium) and negatively correlated with the advanced stages (Rebuilding and Growth), whereas mindfulness was not significantly correlated with any stage of recovery. Internalized stigma levels differed significantly across recovery-stage groups, being lower among participants in the more advanced stages, whereas mindfulness levels did not differ significantly across stages. Integrating recovery-oriented and stigma-sensitive approaches into psychiatric nursing care may help support patients through the recovery process.