Exploring the Link Between Substance Use Severity and Self-Stigma among Justice-Involved Adults: The Moderating Role of Enacted Stigma
Abstract
Research has shown that markers of an individual’s substance use severity (e.g., number of prior treatment episodes and perceived substance use severity) and negative experiences with medical professionals are linked to self-stigma. To our knowledge, no prior work has examined how markers of substance use severity and negative experiences with medical professionals interact to impact levels of self-stigma among individuals with both substance use and criminal histories. The current study aims to address this gap by examining the moderating effect of enacted stigma from medical providers on the relationship between markers of substance use severity and self-stigma. Archival data from participants (N = 65) enrolled in an incarceration diversion program were used for data analysis. Moderation analyses were conducted using Model 1 of the PROCESS procedure for SPSS. Step 1 included both the independent variable and the moderator as predictors, while Step 2 added the interaction term. At Step 1, results suggested the model including perceived substance use severity and enacted stigma was significant (F(2,61) = 3.18, p = .048, R2 = .094), with enacted stigma emerging as the only significant predictor in the model (b = 4.670, p = .030). The simple multiple regression model including substance use treatment history and enacted stigma was not significant (F(2,61) = 2.894, p = .063), although enacted stigma still emerged as a significant predictor (b = 5.07, p = .020). Neither the moderation model including perceived substance use severity and enacted stigma (F(3, 60) = 2.13, p = .11) nor the moderation model including substance use treatment history and enacted stigma (F(3, 60) = 1.97, p = .128) were significant, and no significant interaction effects were observed. These findings underscore the importance of reducing enacted stigma in healthcare settings to reduce self-stigma and improve outcomes for justice-involved individuals with substance use disorders.
Start Time
15-4-2026 1:30 PM
End Time
15-4-2026 4:30 PM
Room Number
Culp Ballroom 316
Presentation Type
Poster
Student Type
Undergraduate Student
Faculty Mentor
Kelly Moore
Exploring the Link Between Substance Use Severity and Self-Stigma among Justice-Involved Adults: The Moderating Role of Enacted Stigma
Culp Ballroom 316
Research has shown that markers of an individual’s substance use severity (e.g., number of prior treatment episodes and perceived substance use severity) and negative experiences with medical professionals are linked to self-stigma. To our knowledge, no prior work has examined how markers of substance use severity and negative experiences with medical professionals interact to impact levels of self-stigma among individuals with both substance use and criminal histories. The current study aims to address this gap by examining the moderating effect of enacted stigma from medical providers on the relationship between markers of substance use severity and self-stigma. Archival data from participants (N = 65) enrolled in an incarceration diversion program were used for data analysis. Moderation analyses were conducted using Model 1 of the PROCESS procedure for SPSS. Step 1 included both the independent variable and the moderator as predictors, while Step 2 added the interaction term. At Step 1, results suggested the model including perceived substance use severity and enacted stigma was significant (F(2,61) = 3.18, p = .048, R2 = .094), with enacted stigma emerging as the only significant predictor in the model (b = 4.670, p = .030). The simple multiple regression model including substance use treatment history and enacted stigma was not significant (F(2,61) = 2.894, p = .063), although enacted stigma still emerged as a significant predictor (b = 5.07, p = .020). Neither the moderation model including perceived substance use severity and enacted stigma (F(3, 60) = 2.13, p = .11) nor the moderation model including substance use treatment history and enacted stigma (F(3, 60) = 1.97, p = .128) were significant, and no significant interaction effects were observed. These findings underscore the importance of reducing enacted stigma in healthcare settings to reduce self-stigma and improve outcomes for justice-involved individuals with substance use disorders.
