Illness-related stigma, illness uncertainty, and adjustment outcomes in emerging adult college students with a chronic medical condition: A path model

Objective: Emerging adults with chronic medical conditions (CMCs) are at elevated risk for internalizing (i.e., anxious/depressive) symptoms. Previous research shows illness-related stigma contributes to risk, and illness uncertainty is also associated with poorer adjustment. However, potential indirect effects of these factors have not been examined. Participants: College students (n = 564; 77.0% White, 80.5% female, Mage = 19.57) with a self-reported CMC were recruited from August 2017 to July 2021. Methods: Participants completed measures of illness-related stigma (SS-R), illness uncertainty (MUIS-C), and anxious/depressive symptoms (SAS/CES-D). Results: There were significant correlations between all measures (ps < .001). Illness uncertainty mediated illness-related stigma's impact on internalizing symptoms with a direct path between illness-related stigma and internalizing symptoms remaining significant in the overall model (ps < .001). Conclusions: Findings suggest illness uncertainty helps explain the relationship between illness-related stigma/internalizing symptoms for emerging adults with a CMC, providing additional context for this population's risk.