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Evaluation ViewAttendees 1

Program / Treatment Design
Session Type:: Symposia

Symposium 80 - The Adaptation of Evidence-Based Interventions to Address Intersectional Self-Stigma in Diverse Populations: Core Principles, Treatment Strategies, and Preliminary Outcomes

Sunday, November 23, 2025
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM CST
Location: Foster 2, Level 2
CE: 1.5

Keywords: Stigma, ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy), Vulnerable Populations
Level of Familiarity: Moderate
Recommended Readings: Hatzenbuehler, M. L., Phelan, J. C., & Link, B. G. (2013). Stigma as a fundamental cause of population health inequalities. American journal of public health, 103(5), 813-821.,   Turan, J. M., Elafros, M. A., Logie, C. H., Banik, S., Turan, B., Crockett, K. B., ... & Murray, S. M. (2025). Challenges and opportunities in examining and addressing intersectional stigma and health. Focus, 23(1), 70-84.,   Earnshaw, V. A. (2020). Stigma and substance use disorders: A clinical, research, and advocacy agenda. American Psychologist, 75(9), 1300.,   ,  

Stigma refers to negative stereotypes, attitudes, feelings, and judgements toward people with certain attributes or histories, leading to status loss and discrimination (Link & Phelan, 2001). Stigma is identified as a primary cause of population health inequity (Hatzenbueler et al., 2013). For example, people with mental illness are often perceived as unpredictable, while people with substance use disorders may be generally viewed as untrustworthy or dangerous. Such negative stereotypes impact how people with these disorders are treated, as well as what resources they have access to within healthcare and other community systems. Self-stigma is a social-cognitive-emotional process in which individuals become aware of and internalize negative stereotypes about a group to which they belong. It is shaped by intersecting systems of oppression, where structural and social forces create cumulative disadvantage (e.g., sexual/gender minority individuals with a substance use disorder navigating both heteronormative stigma and criminalization of substance use). Self-stigma is associated with the “why try” effect, wherein individuals with stigmatized experiences expect others to view them negatively and treat them unfairly, experience hopelessness, and disengage from adaptive behaviors. A robust body of research demonstrates that self-stigma is linked to poorer emotional, social, and behavioral functioning (Van der Kooij et al., 2023; Del Rosal et al., 2021; Earnshaw et al., 2020). In particular, individuals experiencing self-stigma are less likely to seek healthcare, more likely to socially isolate, and are at increased risk for harmful behaviors, leading to serious consequences such as untreated health conditions, overdose, and incarceration. However, self-stigma is modifiable and can be addressed using evidence-based change strategies (Mittal et al., 2012; Yanos et al., 2015; Luoma et al., 2023). This symposium showcases five adaptions of cognitive, behavioral, and motivational interventions to mitigate self-stigma in diverse populations at high risk for adverse health outcomes, including justice-involved individuals, people with serious mental illness, those with substance use disorders, and sexual and gender minorities. These presentations highlight contextual, evidence-based approaches that integrate core therapeutic change principles while addressing intersecting systems of stigma. Presenters will discuss intervention adaptations and share preliminary findings from pilot and larger-scale trials evaluating their effectiveness.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:
  1. Understand how intersectional self-stigma impacts psychological and behavioral health.
  2. Identify key adaptation strategies for addressing intersectional self-stigma in diverse populations.
  3. Discuss best practices for adapting interventions to account for structural, social, and cultural contexts shaping self-stigma.
  4. Recognize the role of community stakeholders, providers, and lived experience experts in designing self-stigma interventions.
  5. Identify key health outcomes of adapted self-stigma interventions that have been implemented with diverse populations.

Presentations:

  • 2:05 PM - 2:22 PM CST
    (SYM 80) A Third-wave Behavioral Intervention Targeting Self-stigma Related to Criminal Involvement and Substance Use Disorder

    Speaker: Kelly Moore, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – East Tennessee State University

  • 2:22 PM - 2:39 PM CST
    (SYM 80) Adapting an Act-based Stigma and Substance Use Intervention for Transgender Adults: Addressing Self-stigma and Refinements for RCT Testing

    Speaker: Liza Kolbasov, BA – Illinois Institute of Technology

    Co-Author: Arryn Guy, Ph.D. (she/they) – Illinois Institute of Technology

    Co-author: Mikey Shock, BA – Illinois Institute of Technology

    Co-author: Peyton Erb, BS – Illinois Institute of Technology

    Co-author: Kate Linenbach, BS – Illinois Institute of Technology

    Co-author: Mayor Manlapid, BA – Brown University

    Co-author: Aya Shawari – Illinois Institute of technology

  • 2:39 PM - 2:56 PM CST
    (SYM 80) Related Interventions to Reduce Internalized and Anticipated Stigma Harms: ESS, EASE, SSAS, & IRIS

    Speaker: Alicia Lucksted, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – Univ of Maryland Baltimore School of Medicine

  • 2:56 PM - 3:13 PM CST
    (SYM 80) Development and Implementation of Actprep: An Acceptance-based Prep Intervention for Engaging Young Black MSM in the South Using the Adaptome Model

    Speaker: Trisha Arnold, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – Brown University

    Co-author: Brandon Guadiano, PhD – Brown University

    Co-author: Andrew Barnett, PhD – George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

    Co-author: Brooke G. Rogers, M.P.H., Ph.D. – Boston University

    Co-author: Sarah Bailey, MS – Rhode Island Hospital

    Co-author: Larry Brown, MD – Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital

  • 3:13 PM - 3:30 PM CST
    (SYM 80) Tackling Intersectional Stigma and It's Relation to Hazardous Alcohol for Latinx Sexual Minorities: A Novel Intervention Development

    Speaker: David Zelaya, Ph.D. (he/him/his) – Brown University