Patrick W. Corrigan

Patrick W. Corrigan (1956 – 2026) was an American psychologist, author, and prominent ally and researcher in the field of mental health.

(Photo Credit: Institute for Translational Medicine)

  • Academic & Professional Career: Corrigan served as a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the Illinois Institute of Technology, where he also earned his doctorate. Earlier in his career, he held faculty positions at the University of Chicago, where he directed the Center on Psychiatric Rehabilitation. He was also the editor of the American Psychological Association journal Stigma and Health.
  • Research & Advocacy: He was widely recognized as a leading international authority on the public stigma of mental illness. His extensive research focused on understanding how social stigma impacts recovery, developing anti-stigma intervention programs, and championing psychiatric rehabilitation, community integration, and the power of peer providers.
  • Published Works: Corrigan was a prolific writer, authoring or editing more than 15 books—such as Don’t Call Me Nuts! and Principles and Practice of Psychiatric Rehabilitation—and publishing over 400 peer-reviewed articles.

Sources: Wikipedia, Disability Lead, American Psychological Association, Cargo, Illinois Institute of Technology, Psychiatry Online

Additional Information

Writing

Patrick Corrigan’s extensive scholarly output spanned more than 400 peer-reviewed articles and 15 books, focusing heavily on the mechanisms of social and self-stigma, psychiatric rehabilitation, and the integration and empowerment of peer providers. His major published works specifically related to mental health peer support and stigma include:

  • The Power of Peer Providers in Mental Health Services (2021): A comprehensive text exploring both the conceptual frameworks and empirical evidence behind peer support services, examining how coaches, navigators, and mentors leverage lived experience to help individuals navigate mental health systems.
  • Principles and Practice of Psychiatric Rehabilitation: Promoting Recovery and Self-Determination (Multiple editions, including 3rd ed., 2024): Co-authored with key researchers, this text serves as a definitive standard in the field, bridging clinical practice with consumer empowerment, community integration, and recovery-oriented care.
  • The Stigma Effect: Unintended Consequences of Mental Health Campaigns (2018): An insightful analysis looking at how public awareness and mental health campaigns can sometimes inadvertently reinforce stereotypes or produce negative side effects for those living with psychiatric disabilities.
  • Don’t Call Me Nuts: Coping with the Stigma of Mental Illness (2001) / Coming Out Proud (2015): Co-created with activist Jeanette Lundin, these works laid the groundwork for Honest, Open, Proud (HOP)—an internationally utilized, peer-led program designed to help individuals cope with self-stigma through strategic disclosure.
  • Challenging the Stigma of Mental Illness: Lessons for Therapists and Advocates (2010): A practical guide examining the three core elements of stigma (public stigma, self-stigma, and label avoidance) and outlining evidence-based strategies—such as education, contact, and protest—to dismantle them.

Major Research and Contributions

  • Peer Navigation Models: Corrigan led pivotal research evaluating the efficacy of peer health navigators for marginalized groups and individuals with serious mental illnesses, demonstrating how peers successfully bridge gaps in primary healthcare, reduce medical disparities, and address social determinants of health.
  • Stigma Measurement and Meta-Analyses: He authored foundational meta-analyses on public stigma outcomes and developed psychometric scales used globally to measure self-stigma, prejudice, and the impact of disclosure.

Multimedia

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