Attitudes towards people with mental disorders: Results of a psychometric evaluation and confirmatory factor analysis of the Stigma Towards People with Mental Disorders (SToP- MD) Scale

Stigmatizing attitudes toward individuals with mental disorders represent a major barrier to treatment, recovery, and social inclusion. The present research introduces and psychometrically evaluates the German-language SToP-MD (Stigma Toward People with Mental Disorders) scale across three independent studies with distinct samples.In study 1 (N = 266), an initial item pool was developed and refined based on theoretical frameworks and exploratory factor analysis. In study 2 (N = 488), confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor structure comprising prejudiced stigmatization (SToP-MD-PS) and assumption of problems (SToP-MD-AP). The model showed acceptable fit (e.g., CFI = .918, TLI = .892, RMSEA = .078, SRMR = .051) and good internal consistencies (α = .84 and α = .78). In study 3 (N = 266), convergent and discriminant validity were examined via Spearman correlations with established instruments.As hypothesized, the SToP-MD subscales were positively associated with depression stigma (DSS) and social distance (SDI), and negatively correlated with openness and agreeableness (NEO-FFI), supporting convergent validity. Discriminant validity was partially confirmed by low or non-significant correlations with attitudes toward physically disabled individuals (ATDP), suicide-related cognitions (CCSS), and socially desirable responding (BIDR).Across all three studies, the SToP-MD demonstrated robust psychometric properties. It captures both overt prejudices and implicit burden assumptions, offering a nuanced assessment of public stigma toward mental disorders. The scale can serve as a valuable tool in stigma research, public health monitoring, and evaluation of interventions. Future research should extend validation to more diverse samples and test predictive and longitudinal utility.