Internalized stigma and student well-being: The role of adaptive and maladaptive coping

Mental illness (MI) stigma is a major source of psychological distress for postsecondary students. The present study examined whether the associations between MI stigma and psychological health were influenced by adaptive and maladaptive coping. Seventy-eight university students with documented mental health concerns (17-26 years of age; 80% female) completed self-report measures on coping, internalized stigma, well-being, and depressive symptomatology. Multiple mediation models tested the indirect effect of coping in the relation between internalized stigma and well-being. Maladaptive coping fully mediated the association between stigma and distress, while adaptive coping fully mediated the relation between stigma and well-being. Whereas maladaptive coping strategies may be reinforcing psychological distress, adaptive coping may be helpful in effectively managing stigma-related stress while enhancing well-being.