Correlates of affiliate stigma among family caregivers of people with mental illness: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Introduction: Many studies have investigated the correlates of affiliate stigma among family caregivers of people with mental illness (PWMI). Thus far, no systematic review or meta‐analysis has been conducted to synthesize these results. Aims/Question: This review aims to identify the correlates of affiliate stigma among family caregivers of PWMI. Method: We searched four databases including PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE and Web of Science for studies that investigated the association of affiliate sigma with socio‐demographic, psychosocial and disease‐related factors. Results: Twenty‐two studies including 3,381 participants met the inclusion criteria. Eighteen variables were included for the meta‐analysis. For disease‐related characteristics, only "disease attribution" and "care time/day" were associated with affiliate stigma. For psychosocial characteristics, "support from others," "burden," "depression," "stress," "distress" and "face concern" were related to affiliate stigma. Discussion: This review is the first to assess the association of affiliate stigma with other characteristics of interest. However, the findings are limited due to a very small number of studies. Researchers should conduct in‐depth study in this area and improve the quality of the literature. Implications for practice: Health‐focused interventions for family caregivers such as respite care, self‐help groups, online support program and psychosocial education can mediate the impact of affiliated stigma.