Tag Archives: UL’s Department of Psychology

RESEARCHERS from University of Limerick (UL) have found that women who feel stigmatised after having an abortion, experience increased psychological distress and physical health symptoms.The research has been published in the journal Psychology of Women Quarterly. The article is entitled “Restricted reproductive rights and risky sexual behaviour: How political disenfranchisement relates to women’s sense of control, well-being and sexual health. Dr Aisling O’Donnell of UL’s Department of Psychology, who led the research, explains, “While in the past, it has been assumed that having an abortion leads to worse mental or physical health, there has been no research-based evidence that this is the case. However, there is evidence that women who have abortions are stigmatised, and also that numerous types of stigma are linked to worse mental and physical health. That was the starting point for our research.” Dr O’Donnell and her team, investigated whether the health issues that related to stigma also applied to the stigma surrounding abortion. The team focused …

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