Scottish Mental Illness Stigma Study highlighted for second time in Scottish Parliament

Research findings from a mental illness stigma study have been highlighted for a second time in the Scottish Parliament.

MSP for Highlands and Islands Emma Roddick referred to the important research during a Members’ Debate about Mental Health Stigma in the Workplace in which she talked about her own experiences and repeatedly referred to the study findings.

Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) Professor of Applied Psychology Professor Simon Hunter helped lead and design the study, and co-authored the final report, that showed people with complex mental illnesses experience discrimination in many areas of their lives.

The Scottish Mental Illness Stigma Study was carried out by See Me, Scotland's programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination, in collaboration with the Mental Health Foundation, VOX Scotland and GCU, and the results were released on 27 September.

Emma said the Parliament was “concerned by what it sees as continued stigmatisation of mental health issues and those who experience them”, particularly in the world of work.

She referred to the study and said it “demonstrates more work needs to be done by employers, public health agencies and government to tackle mental health stigma, and (the Scottish Parliament) notes the calls for these issues to be addressed in the new Scottish Government Mental Health Strategy”.

Last month MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw Clare Adamson also called for action after the study was published.

Professor Hunter said: “It was very encouraging this week to see another MSP Emma Roddick highlight our research and lead a debate in the Scottish Parliament on ‘Mental Health Stigma in the Workplace’.

“Ms Roddick talked eloquently about her own experience of living with a mental illness and the stigma she had experienced.

“Around a third of the people who took part in our Scottish Mental Illness Stigma Survey chose ‘Employment’ as one of the top three places in their life that was most impacted by stigma.

“Feeling unfairly treated and being denied employment were both common experiences, and stigma relating to mental illness was a common expectation when considering employment.

“More than half had avoided applying for specific jobs. When in employment, more than half did not take leave that they were entitled to or had avoided applying for promotion.

“As authors of the report, we are calling for the development of an action plan to address the issues highlighted in it. It was great to see Ms Roddick therefore making an important call for stigma to be explicitly addressed on the Scottish Government’s Mental Health Strategy. We echo this, and trust that the Scottish Government can help lead change on this issue.”

Professor Hunter is also the Child and Adolescent Health Research Group Lead in the School of Health and Life Sciences' Research Centre for Health (ReaCH), which makes a direct and significant contribution to Sustainable Development Goal 3 – good health and wellbeing – issued by the United Nations in 2015 as a blueprint for peace and prosperity across the planet.

You can watch the Scottish Parliament Debate here - https://www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/meeting-of-the-parliament-november-10-2022?clip_start=12:56:45&clip_end=13:41:36