Interpersonal Relations on Dr Simon FELIX

[Caiada et al., 2026] - Measuring intimate relationship self-stigma in serious mental illness: scale development and validation

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Auteurs

Meryl Caiada, Antoinette Prouteau, Simon Felix, Sarah Guionnet, Justin Lamontagne, Emma Tison, Kevin-Marc Valery, Luc Vigneault, Tania Lecomte

Résumé de l’article

Individuals living with serious mental illness (SMI) face pervasive stigma, with damaging effects on their intimate lives. Although evidence suggests individuals might endorse stereotypes about their romantic relationships, no tool has addressed self-stigma in this domain. This study aimed to develop and validate the Intimate Relationship Self-Stigma Scale (IRSS), specifically, to determine its structural and construct validity, as well as the internal consistency and test-retest reliability. This instrument was co-constructed with peer support workers living with SMI. Using a bipolar semantic differential format, the IRSS captures both self-stigmatizing beliefs and positive self-perceptions. Items were generated through focus groups and literature review. Participants with SMI (N = 150) completed the IRSS online, along with measures of internalized stigma, self-esteem, and romantic functioning. Exploratory factor analyses supported a four-factor structure-Disclosure Effects, Self-Attractiveness, Stability, and Intimacy Needs-explaining 48.6% of the variance. Subscales demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (ω = .69-.87), test-retest reliability (ICC = .79-.93), and expected correlations with related constructs. The IRSS fills a critical gap in recovery-oriented mental health care by providing a comprehensive assessment of internalized stigma in romantic contexts while simultaneously capturing positive self-perceptions. Further validation, including confirmatory factor analyses and cross-cultural validity, is warranted.

Référence complète

Meryl Caiada, Antoinette Prouteau, Simon Felix, Sarah Guionnet, Justin Lamontagne, Emma Tison, Kevin-Marc Valery, Luc Vigneault, Tania Lecomte (2026). Measuring intimate relationship self-stigma in serious mental illness: scale development and validation. Journal of Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2025.2595604

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Journal


Journal	Journal of Mental Health
H-index	112
Impact Factor (2 ans)	2.09
Scimago	Voir la fiche

[Caiada et al., 2025] - Stigmatizing intimate relationships in schizophrenia: a study comparing mental health professionals, health students and the general population

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Auteurs

Meryl Caiada, Kevin-Marc Valery, Simon Felix, Sarah Guionnet, Emma Tison, Maxime Gonin, Julien Bonilla-Guerrero, Jean-Marc Destaillats, Nicolas Pillaud, Antoinette Prouteau

Résumé de l’article

Discrimination in intimate relationships (IR) is frequently reported among persons with schizophrenia. Despite ongoing effort of international organizations to combat mental illness stigma, there remain a limited understanding of specific IR-related stereotypes. The study aimed to i) identify the stereotypes related to IR of persons with schizophrenia held by Mental Health Professionals (MHP), health students and the general population, and ii) explore the effects of several factors associated with these stereotypes. This study used a mixed-methods approach. A survey developed collaboratively with persons with lived experience of mental health conditions (PWLE) was disseminated among MHP, health students and the general population. The majority of the nine IR-related stereotypes previously identified by PWLE were endorsed by the participants (N = 532). PWLE were perceived as particularly incompetent in the domain of IR (e.g. to achieve couple project). Stereotypes endorsement varied among the groups. Continuum beliefs, perceived similarities and recovery beliefs were negatively associated with stereotype endorsement. The general population, MHP and health students endorsed several stereotypes regarding IR of persons with schizophrenia. The results provide support for the role of theoretical beliefs in IR stigmatization, suggesting they may be relevant targets for evidence-based stigma reduction programs.

Référence complète

Meryl Caiada, Kevin-Marc Valery, Simon Felix, Sarah Guionnet, Emma Tison, Maxime Gonin, Julien Bonilla-Guerrero, Jean-Marc Destaillats, Nicolas Pillaud, Antoinette Prouteau (2025). Stigmatizing intimate relationships in schizophrenia: a study comparing mental health professionals, health students and the general population. Journal of Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2024.2390378

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Journal


Journal	Journal of Mental Health
H-index	112
Impact Factor (2 ans)	2.09
Scimago	Voir la fiche

[Caiada et al., 2024] - Promoting Intimate Relationships in Mental Illness: A Systematic Review of Interventions

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Auteurs

Meryl Caiada, Simon Felix, Sarah Guionnet, Kevin-Marc Valery, Julien Bonilla-Guerrero, Jean-Marc Destaillats, Antoinette Prouteau

Résumé de l’article

Although persons with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) express a need for intimate relations with others, they still suffer from a severe lack of social participation in this domain. However, these unmet needs have received little attention until recently. This study reviews interventions that aim to facilitate the development and the maintenance of intimate relationships (IR) of persons with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression. A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted. Studies published in Scopus, PubMed, EBSCO (Psych INFO, Psych ARTICLES, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection) from January 1, 2000, to December, 2021, were screened. The search using terms referring to “schizophrenia”, “bipolar disorder”, “major depression”, “IR” and “interventions” revealed 11 studies. Among them, 10 reported interventions for persons with depression, including 9 for couple therapy. Most interventions targeted satisfaction with couple relationships as the main therapeutic objective. Heterogeneity in study design precludes any firm conclusions about their efficacy. Interestingly, only one intervention focused on single persons interested in developing IR. The results highlight the lack of interventions: (i) aimed at promoting IR, (ii) designed for single persons, and (iii) targeting persons with psychotic disorders. This result may reflect the persisting stigmatization of persons with psychotic disorders, and the taboo associated with the IR and sexuality of persons with mental illness. Further studies are needed to develop inclusive interventions promoting the development of IR in persons with mental illness.

Référence complète

Meryl Caiada, Simon Felix, Sarah Guionnet, Kevin-Marc Valery, Julien Bonilla-Guerrero, Jean-Marc Destaillats, Antoinette Prouteau (2024). Promoting Intimate Relationships in Mental Illness: A Systematic Review of Interventions. Community Mental Health Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-023-01204-z

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Journal


Journal	Community Mental Health Journal
H-index	116
Impact Factor (2 ans)	1.47
Scimago	Voir la fiche