Faculty Publications

An Examination Of Two Brief Stigma Reduction Strategies: Filmed Personal Contact And Hallucination Simulations

Document Type

Article

Keywords

Contact, Education, Simulation, Stigma

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Community Mental Health Journal

Volume

46

Issue

5

First Page

494

Last Page

499

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. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Department

Department of Psychology

Original Publication Date

10-1-2010

DOI of published version

10.1007/s10597-010-9309-1

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