Honor and the Stigma of Mental Healthcare

Most prior research on cultures of honor has focused on interpersonal aggression. the present studies examined the novel hypothesis that honor-culture ideology enhances the stigmatization of mental health needs and inhibits the use of mental health services. study 1 demonstrated that people who strongly endorsed honor-related beliefs and values were especially concerned that seeking help for mental health needs would indicate personal weakness and would harm their reputations. studies 2 and 3 showed that honor states in the u.s. south and west invested less in mental healthcare resources,compared with non-honor states in the north (study 2),and that parents living in honor states were less likely than parents in non-honor states to use mental health services on behalf of their children (study 3). together,these studies reveal an overlooked consequence of honor ideology for psychological well-being at the individual,social,and institutional levels. © 2014 by the society for personality and social psychology,inc.