The Brain Disease Model of Addiction and Implications for Public Stigma: A Cross-national Study

The definition of addiction impacts stigma levels attributed to the addictive population. Researchers in the United States (US) believe a brain disease model of addiction (BDMA) reduces stigma, though other researchers worldwide disagree. Via MTurk, data was collected from Canada, the US and Australia. Participants were randomized to one of four vignette manipulations describing an individual with the following condition(s): addiction, mental health, co-occurring addiction and mental health, or non-psychiatric medical. Participants’ beliefs in five models of addiction and stigma attributed to the individual was measured. Addiction was the most stigmatized condition though greater beliefs in the nature and psychological MOA predicted lower stigma. Beliefs in the psychological, nature, and sociological MOA moderated the vignette condition and stigma relationship and the moral MOA mediated the geographical region and public stigma relationship. US accepted the BDMA more than Canada, although greater beliefs in the BDMA did not predict lower public stigma.M.A