Governmental assistance, charitable assistance, and welfare stigma in China

Welfare programs aim to support disadvantaged groups but can also produce unintended negative consequences like welfare stigma. This study investigates the relationships between two important welfare programs – governmental assistance and charitable assistance – and welfare stigma. Using survey data from China, we employ propensity score matching and a series of regression models to test the relationships. Results indicate that governmental assistance is associated with psychological stigma, including feelings of discrimination, inferiority, hopelessness, and depression, but does significantly affect recipients’ social participation. In contrast, charitable assistance is not significantly related to psychological stigma and is positively associated with social participation, indicating minimal stigmatising effects. This study extends welfare stigma research by incorporating charitable assistance and comparing it with governmental programs. Findings suggest promoting charitable assistance and refining governmental policies to reduce stigma while enhancing recipients’ engagement and well-being.