Information vs. Inspiration: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Stigma Reduction Messages

• In Event: 2224 - Emerging Issues in Mental Health

Abstract

Numerous countries and communities have conducted campaigns aimed at reducing the stigma of mental illness. Using an online experiment, we sought to evaluate the effectiveness of three types of campaign messages (information about the biological origins of the illness, information about the psycho-social origins of the illness, and inspirational information about the competence of those with the illness) that we crossed with two types two illnesses (depression and schizophrenia). We assessed the effectiveness by examining the effect of the messages on status beliefs (how I think most people feel) and personal status beliefs (how I personally feel) regarding individuals with depression or schizophrenia and on stigma sentiments (the evaluation, potency, and activity ratings of psychiatric identities). Our results suggest these messages are not effective at changing status beliefs but are effective at changing personal status beliefs, particularly about schizophrenia. The competence message improved personal status beliefs about both depression and schizophrenia, and all three messages improved personal status beliefs regarding schizophrenia. In addition, the competence message increased the potency rating of psychiatric identities, thus reducing the potency component of stigma sentiments. Together these findings suggest that stigma reduction campaigns that focus on inspirational messages about the capabilities of individuals with a mental illness may be more effective at reducing stigma than campaigns focused on the biological or psycho-social origins of the mental illnesses.

Authors

• Amy Kroska, University of Oklahoma

• Sarah K. Harkness, University of Iowa