Internalized Stigma and Tooth Loss Due to Periodontitis

The ISS consists of 29 items and is a self-report scale assessing internalized stigma. ISS includes 5 subscales: 1. Alienation (6 items), 2. Confirmation of Stereotypes (7 items), 3. Perceived Discrimination (5 items), 4. Social Withdrawal (6 items), 5. Resistance to Stigmatization (5 items). ISS is a Likert-type scale calculated as 'strongly disagree' (1 point), 'disagree' (2 points), 'agree' (3 points), 'strongly agree' (4 points). The items of the 'Resistance to stigmatization' subscale are reverse scored. High scores on this scale indicate how aggressive the person's internalized stigma is negatively. ISS has been adapted for many diseases other than mental illnesses in our country and its validity and reliability have been demonstrated.