Objective. To explore the presence, forms, and sociodemographic determinants of public stigma toward mental illness among residents of peripheral districts of Rome.
Methods. An exploratory study was conducted with 200 participants aged 18–30 and 45–65 years using the CAMI questionnaire and a demographic survey. Statistical analyses included frequency distributions, cross-tabulations, principal component analysis (PCA), ANOVA, t-tests, chi-square tests, and Pearson correlations.
Results
The PCA identified five macro-areas of stigma investigation. The responses indicate an absence of explicit stigma but reveal widespread ambivalence, particularly in the social representations of mental illness. Young adults, women, and individuals with higher levels of education expressed more inclusive attitudes.
Conclusions
Stigma appears in latent rather than overt forms, while the role of the community in care is widely acknowledged. These findings highlight the need for targeted psychoeducational programs and further research on stigma dynamics in peripheral urban contexts.