A Bayesian Examination of the Effect of a Mental Health Psychosocial Education Vignette on Stigma Toward Persons with Schizophrenia and Depression
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Graduate
Major
Clinical Psychology
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. D. Gage Jordan, Ph.D.
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
Problem or Purpose: Psychosocial education has been used to combat stigma in a number of settings, but familiarity with and exposure to mental illness may also be key factors that reduce stigmatizing comments and behaviors. In this study, we implemented a between-subjects design where participants were allocated into two groups: one who received psychoeducational information about mental health (i.e., the “education group”); and one who received no psychoeducational information (i.e., the “control group”). Regardless of the group, all participants then read vignettes which discussed information about the diagnosis of schizophrenia or the diagnosis of depression. Following the vignettes, all participants were presented with a battery of questionnaires inquiring about stigma toward the condition (e.g., “I would find it difficult to trust someone with schizophrenia”) and their proximity with specific conditions (i.e., whether or not they or a family member had been formally diagnosed with a mental disorder). The aim of this study was to further understand the relationship between stigma and mental health by examining the implementation of brief psychosocial education within a Bayesian framework.
Procedure: Participants (N = 107) were recruited through the SONA system and were directed to Qualtrics to complete the battery of questionnaires.
Results: A Bayesian 2 X 2 ANOVA (vignette: psychoeducation v. none; condition: schizophrenia v. depression) was run to examine the effects of these predictor variables on anxiety toward persons with mental illness. Overall, there was no effect of the psychoeducational condition, (Mposterior = 0.15, SDposterior = 0.74), 95% credible interval (CI) [-1.32, 1.64], suggesting that participants who received this information did not differ in their anxiety toward individuals with schizophrenia or depression. However, there was a significant effect of participants in the schizophrenia condition. That is, they appeared to be more anxious toward persons with schizophrenia than those with depression, (Mposterior = 5.10, SDposterior = 0.78), 95% credible interval (CI) [3.55, 6.66].
Conclusions and Implications: These results support existing literature, in that serious mental illness is more stigmatized than any mental illness, and current programs used to combat stigma may not be effective. Thus, future research may consider more effective messages that can be distributed to mitigate mental illness-related stigma, particularly toward persons with schizophrenia.
Fall Scholars Week 2022 Event
Psychology: Completed Projects
A Bayesian Examination of the Effect of a Mental Health Psychosocial Education Vignette on Stigma Toward Persons with Schizophrenia and Depression
Problem or Purpose: Psychosocial education has been used to combat stigma in a number of settings, but familiarity with and exposure to mental illness may also be key factors that reduce stigmatizing comments and behaviors. In this study, we implemented a between-subjects design where participants were allocated into two groups: one who received psychoeducational information about mental health (i.e., the “education group”); and one who received no psychoeducational information (i.e., the “control group”). Regardless of the group, all participants then read vignettes which discussed information about the diagnosis of schizophrenia or the diagnosis of depression. Following the vignettes, all participants were presented with a battery of questionnaires inquiring about stigma toward the condition (e.g., “I would find it difficult to trust someone with schizophrenia”) and their proximity with specific conditions (i.e., whether or not they or a family member had been formally diagnosed with a mental disorder). The aim of this study was to further understand the relationship between stigma and mental health by examining the implementation of brief psychosocial education within a Bayesian framework.
Procedure: Participants (N = 107) were recruited through the SONA system and were directed to Qualtrics to complete the battery of questionnaires.
Results: A Bayesian 2 X 2 ANOVA (vignette: psychoeducation v. none; condition: schizophrenia v. depression) was run to examine the effects of these predictor variables on anxiety toward persons with mental illness. Overall, there was no effect of the psychoeducational condition, (Mposterior = 0.15, SDposterior = 0.74), 95% credible interval (CI) [-1.32, 1.64], suggesting that participants who received this information did not differ in their anxiety toward individuals with schizophrenia or depression. However, there was a significant effect of participants in the schizophrenia condition. That is, they appeared to be more anxious toward persons with schizophrenia than those with depression, (Mposterior = 5.10, SDposterior = 0.78), 95% credible interval (CI) [3.55, 6.66].
Conclusions and Implications: These results support existing literature, in that serious mental illness is more stigmatized than any mental illness, and current programs used to combat stigma may not be effective. Thus, future research may consider more effective messages that can be distributed to mitigate mental illness-related stigma, particularly toward persons with schizophrenia.