Abstract
Mental illness stigma is quite prevalent with dire consequences. A number of interventions to decrease stigma have been formulated, but have variable effectiveness and limited dissemination. This research examined the impact of two brief interventions: a film depicting individuals with schizophrenia (filmed contact) and a simulation of auditory hallucinations. Participants (N = 143) were randomly assigned to one of three interventions: (1) filmed contact, (2) simulation, or (3) no intervention, and completed two stigma measures prior to, immediately after, and 1 week after the intervention. The filmed contact intervention led to decreases in stigma which persisted across 1 week. However, the simulation led to increases in stigma. The results suggest that a filmed contact intervention may decrease two aspects of mental illness stigma (social distance and negative emotions), which has implications for wide dissemination. The efficacy of a hallucination simulations intervention remains dubious.
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Notes
The findings in this study should not be utilized to evaluate the efficacy of the workshop, Hearing Voices that are Distressing: A Training and Simulated Experience, which implements a longer (42-minute) simulation into a three-hour multi-component educational intervention.
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Brown, S.A., Evans, Y., Espenschade, K. et al. An Examination of Two Brief Stigma Reduction Strategies: Filmed Personal Contact and Hallucination Simulations. Community Ment Health J 46, 494–499 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-010-9309-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-010-9309-1