1. An online intervention using information on the mental health-mental illness continuum to reduce stigma.
- Author
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Schomerus G, Angermeyer MC, Baumeister SE, Stolzenburg S, Link BG, and Phelan JC
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Depression diagnosis, Female, Humans, Information Literacy, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Psychological Distance, Schizophrenia diagnosis, Surveys and Questionnaires, Information Dissemination methods, Mental Disorders psychology, Social Stigma
- Abstract
Background: A core component of stigma is being set apart as a distinct, dichotomously different kind of person. We examine whether information on a continuum from mental health to mental illness reduces stigma., Method: Online survey experiment in a quota sample matching the German population for age, gender and region (n=1679). Participants randomly received information on either (1) a continuum, (2) a strict dichotomy of mental health and mental illness, or (3) no information. We elicited continuity beliefs and stigma toward a person with schizophrenia or depression., Results: The continuum intervention decreased perceived difference by 0.19 standard deviations (SD, P<0.001) and increased social acceptance by 0.18 SD (P=0.003) compared to the no-text condition. These effects were partially mediated by continuity beliefs (proportion mediated, 25% and 26%), which increased by 0.19 SD (P<0.001). The dichotomy intervention, in turn, decreased continuity beliefs and increased notions of difference, but did not affect social acceptance., Conclusion: Attitudes towards a person with mental illness can be improved by providing information on a mental health-mental illness continuum., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2016
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