The wife of a man newly diagnosed with HIV stops getting invited to a regular meeting with some of the other mothers who are involved in the local school. She can not think of any reason for this other than that the community has recently found out about her husbands diagnosis.
What is likely to be the reason for her exclusion?
The fundamental attribution error16%Cognitive consistency21%Courtesy stigma21%Deindividuation21%Intergroup hostility21%
Courtesy stigma (aka stigma by association) is a type of stigma that occurs towards people (e.g. family and health professionals) associated with people who are themselves stigmatised.
Stigma
Stigma is defined as a sign of disgrace or discredit, which sets a person apart from others.
A number of types are recognised
| Stigma type | Description |
|---|---|
| Discredited and discreditable Stigma | In discredited stigma, an individual; assumes that their difference is already known about or is evident. In discreditable stigma, the person assumes that their stigma is neither known about by those present nor immediately perceivable by them |
| Felt stigma | Felt stigma (internal stigma or self-stigmatisation) refers to the shame and expectation of discrimination that prevents people from talking about their experiences and stops them seeking help |
| Enacted stigma | Enacted stigma (external stigma, discrimination) refers to the experience of unfair treatment by others |
| Courtesy stigma | This is stigma not felt directly. Often a carer or relative of a stigmatised individual may feel shame or be treated differently |
