Stigma associated with mental illness: perspectives of judges and attorneys in Lebanon — a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Legal professionals frequently encounter forensic mental health issues in the criminal justice system. These issues can significantly impact the outcome of cases, making it essential to understand the attitudes and perceptions of these experts towards mental illness. While the literature has shown widespread stigma towards mental illness in the general population, there has been limited research focusing on the attitudes of judges and lawyers. This study aims to investigate the stigma related to mental health among Lebanese legal professionals. We sent an online questionnaire to judges and lawyers practicing in Lebanon. The survey included a section on socio-demographics and the following scales: Reported and Intended Behavior Scale (RIBS) which measures mental health stigma-related behavior and Perceived Devaluation and Discrimination Scale (PDDS) measuring the extent to which a person believes that most people will devalue or discriminate against someone with a mental illness. Results: A total of 215 participants, with a mean age of 38.69 and a mean of 13.16 years of experience, completed the questionnaire. Most were females (62.8%) and worked as civil attorneys (47.4%). Only a minority received instruction on mental health or mental health law during training (10.7% and 8.8%). About a quarter believed their education on mental health issues was sufficient. Participants with positive attitudes (RIBS) were more likely to have a family member with a mental illness (p value =.001), feel comfortable handling cases involving mental health (p value =.001), and have lived with someone with a mental illness (p value =.007). Feeling educated about mental health issues was associated with lower perceived stigma on the PDDS (p value =.021). Conclusions: The findings imply that enhancing mental health education and awareness within the legal profession could be a key strategy to reduce stigma and improve the overall treatment of individuals with mental health issues within the criminal justice system in Lebanon.