AIM: To record and measure the nature and severity of stigma and discrimination experienced by people during a first episode of schizophrenia and those with a first episode of major depressive disorder. METHODS: The Discrimination and Stigma Scale (DISC-12) was used in a cross-sectional survey to elicit service user reports of anticipated and experienced discrimination by 150 people with a diagnosis of first-episode schizophrenia and 176 with a diagnosis of first-episode major depressive disorder in seven countries (Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Turkey). RESULTS: Participants with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder reported discrimination in a greater number of life areas than those with schizophrenia, as rated by the total DISC-12 score (p = .03). With regard to specific life areas, participants with depression reported more discrimination in regard to neighbours, dating, education, marriage, religious activities, physical health and acting as a parent than participants with schizophrenia. Participants with schizophrenia reported more discrimination with regard to the police compared to participants with depression. CONCLUSION: Stigma and discrimination because of mental illness change in the course of the mental diseases. Future research may take a longitudinal perspective to better understand the beginnings of stigmatisation and its trajectory through the life course and to identify critical periods at which anti-stigma interventions can most effectively be applied.

Al Obregia Clinical Psychiatric Hospital Bucharest Romania

Association for Mental Health Service Improvement Geneva Switzerland

Clinic of Psychiatry Sisli Etfal Education and Research Hospital Istanbul Turkey

Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology Sahlgrenska Academy University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden Nå Ut teamet Psychosis Clinic Sahlgrenska University Hospital Gothenburg Sweden

Department of Psychiatry University Hospital Zagreb Zagreb Croatia

Health Service and Population Research Department Institute of Psychiatry King's College London London UK

Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology Warszawa Poland

Prague Psychiatric Center Prague Czech Republic

Psychiatrie 1 LKH Rankweil Rankweil Austria

Development of public stigma toward people with mental health problems in Czechia 2013-2019