This Time It's Personal: The Effects of Language Choice on Stigma Reduction
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Psychology
Minor
Sociology (2nd Major)
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Joyce
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
It is very common for the public to view individuals with mental illness in discriminatory and negative ways (Masuda, Price, Anderson, Schmertz, and Alamaras, 2009). This stigma may also cause individuals to shy away from treatment, because they feel like they are "crazy" or beyond help; treatment for those who feel stigmatized is also less effective (US Department of Health and Human Services, 1999). This stigma is believed to come from a lack of understanding. Research indicates that those who are less familiar with mental illness exhibit greater levels of stigma (Feeg, Prager, Moylan, Smith, and Cullinan, 2014). Research also supports the idea that this stigma can be reduced though psychoeducation (Brugh & Joyce, 2017). This study is a continuation of a previous study (Brugh & Joyce, 2017), and it examines the effect of psychoeducation on stigma by slightly altering the methodology of the previous study in order to better explore the impact of the tone of the psychoeducation. This study presents individuals with a vignette of a girl with pica and either describes just her symptoms, her disorder through her perspective, or a clinical description of her disorder. This study seeks to determine whether or not a personal or clinical description of the disorder is more effective at reducing symptoms.
Spring Scholars Week 2018 Event
Psychology Department Panel: Projects In-Process
This Time It's Personal: The Effects of Language Choice on Stigma Reduction
It is very common for the public to view individuals with mental illness in discriminatory and negative ways (Masuda, Price, Anderson, Schmertz, and Alamaras, 2009). This stigma may also cause individuals to shy away from treatment, because they feel like they are "crazy" or beyond help; treatment for those who feel stigmatized is also less effective (US Department of Health and Human Services, 1999). This stigma is believed to come from a lack of understanding. Research indicates that those who are less familiar with mental illness exhibit greater levels of stigma (Feeg, Prager, Moylan, Smith, and Cullinan, 2014). Research also supports the idea that this stigma can be reduced though psychoeducation (Brugh & Joyce, 2017). This study is a continuation of a previous study (Brugh & Joyce, 2017), and it examines the effect of psychoeducation on stigma by slightly altering the methodology of the previous study in order to better explore the impact of the tone of the psychoeducation. This study presents individuals with a vignette of a girl with pica and either describes just her symptoms, her disorder through her perspective, or a clinical description of her disorder. This study seeks to determine whether or not a personal or clinical description of the disorder is more effective at reducing symptoms.