Patrick Corrigan receives a new grant to study the impact of public stigma on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Distinguished Professor of Psychology Patrick Corrigan is the co-principal investigator on a new project to examine the effects of anti-stigma programs on the public stigma experienced by biological mothers of children with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). This project is a partnership with Corrigan; Kenneth Jones, chief of the Division of Dysmorphology and Teratology at University of California—San Diego; and Kathleen Mitchell, vice president and national spokesperson of the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
Biological mothers of children with an FASD are likely to be viewed with disdain and blamed for their child’s disorders. As a result, these mothers more likely to avoid the health care system in order to escape the harmful effects of stigma. This means these mothers are less likely to identify that their children have an FASD, initiate interventions at an early age, and participate in FASD prevention programs.
Research suggests that while education leads to beneficial effects on public stigma, greater and longer lasting changes can result from direct contact with those who are stigmatized. The overall goal of the research project is to engage mothers of children with an FASD in clinical care by developing and testing a contact-based program that will reduce provider (pediatricians/obstetricians) stigma.
