Trends in Public Stigma of Mental Illness in the US, 1996-2018

Background Public stigma in mental health often brings various adverse effects on people with mental illness. Researchers have been developing different interventions in combating public stigma. Objective This study investigates the effects of immersive virtual reality (IVR) in reducing the public stigma of mental illness using a single-blinded randomized control trial. Methods A pre-post experimental design with a 1-week follow-up was conducted. Participants (N=206) were recruited through the mass mail system of The Chinese University of Hong Kong and randomized into 3 conditions: immersive animation, text, and control. In the immersive animation condition (n=72), participants experienced the simulation of daily life and the stigma experienced as an animated story protagonist with mixed anxiety and depressive disorder with IVR. In the text condition (n=65), participants experienced an identical story to the immersive animation condition with first-person audio narration using the same virtual reality headset. In the control condition (n=69), participants watched a video about planets with IVR. All participants received interventions with a researcher-assisted Oculus Go virtual reality headset. Participants’ public stigma was measured through self-administered online questionnaires and compared across conditions and at different time points using repeated measures analysis of variance. Simple and sequential mediation analyses on the relationship of condition (immersive animation vs text) and follow-up public stigma with possible mediators, including sense of embodiment and story transportation, were conducted using PROCESS. Results Public stigma did not differ significantly across conditions at pre-experiment (P>.99). In the immersive animation and text conditions, public stigma was significantly reduced at postexperiment and at the 1-week follow-up compared to pre-experiment (all with P<.001). Public stigma in the control condition at postexperiment and follow-up remained unchanged compared with pre-experiment (P=.69). Immersive animation had significantly lower public stigma than the control at postexperiment (P=.003) and follow-up (P=.02). Text also had lower public stigma than the control at postexperiment (P=.007) and follow-up (P=.03). However, immersive animation did not significantly differ from text in public stigma at postexperiment and follow-up (both P>.99). In simple mediation models, both sense of embodiment (95% CI –0.22 to 0.46) and story transportation (95% CI –0.18 to 0.00) were not significant mediators. In the sequential mediation model, both sense of embodiment and story transportation were significant sequential mediators. Sense of embodiment was positively associated with story transportation (P<.001), while story transportation was negatively associated with public stigma (P<.001). The indirect effect of the sequential mediation model was significant (95% CI –0.38 to –0.11). Conclusions This study provides novel findings and a rigorous comparison in understanding the effects of IVR on public stigma. The findings showed that IVR and text with audio narration performed similarly and significantly in stigma reduction. Sense of embodiment and story transportation were found to be sequentially associated with public stigma reduction. Trial Registration Centre for Clinical Research and Biostatistics Clinical Trial Registry CUHK_Ccrb00638; https://www2.ccrb.cuhk.edu.hk/registry/public/632

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Reducing Physical Illness Stigma: Insights from the Mental Illness Arena

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190243470.013.23 ◽

2017 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Patrick W. Corrigan ◽

Andrea B. Bink ◽

Annie Schmidt

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Physical Illness ◽

Change Strategies ◽

Public Stigma ◽

Future Directions ◽

Service Engagement ◽

Stigma Of Mental Illness ◽

Self Worth ◽

Health Field ◽

Conceptual Work

This chapter presents a critical summary of stigma-change strategies employed in the mental health field as a means to inform the anti-stigma efforts of advocates in the broader health arena. This is done by drawing on the comprehensive research and conceptual work targeting the stigma of mental illness while also weaving in the emerging research on stigma-change related to physical illness. The chapter first provides a brief overview of the targets of stigma change—public stigma, self-stigma, and label avoidance—and specific agendas corresponding with the types of stigma that guide anti-stigma programs—service engagement, rights achievement, and self-worth. It next presents a discussion of the various approaches to stigma change organized by these targets and agendas. The chapter concludes with future directions and goals for advocates and researchers to effectively challenge the stigma of physical illnesses.

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Challenging the Public Stigma of Mental Illness

Challenging the Stigma of Mental Illness ◽

10.1002/9780470977507.ch3 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 55-114 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Public Stigma ◽

The Public ◽

Stigma Of Mental Illness

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The public stigma of mental illness means a difference between you and me

Psychiatry Research ◽

10.1016/j.psychres.2014.12.047 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 226 (1) ◽

pp. 186-191 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Patrick W. Corrigan ◽

Andrea B. Bink ◽

J. Konadu Fokuo ◽

Annie Schmidt

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Public Stigma ◽

The Public ◽

Stigma Of Mental Illness

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The Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality in Reducing Public Stigma of Mental Illness in the University Population of Hong Kong: Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.23683 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Anna S Y Yuen ◽

Winnie W S Mak

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Hong Kong ◽

Immersive Virtual Reality ◽

Public Stigma ◽

Mediation Model ◽

Stigma Reduction ◽

Audio Narration ◽

Stigma Of Mental Illness

BACKGROUND Public stigma in mental health often brings various adverse effects on people with mental illness. Researchers have been developing different interventions in combating public stigma. OBJECTIVE This study investigates the effects of immersive virtual reality (IVR) in reducing the public stigma of mental illness using a single-blinded randomized control trial. METHODS A pre-post experimental design with a 1-week follow-up was conducted. Participants (N=206) were recruited through the mass mail system of The Chinese University of Hong Kong and randomized into 3 conditions: immersive animation, text, and control. In the immersive animation condition (n=72), participants experienced the simulation of daily life and the stigma experienced as an animated story protagonist with mixed anxiety and depressive disorder with IVR. In the text condition (n=65), participants experienced an identical story to the immersive animation condition with first-person audio narration using the same virtual reality headset. In the control condition (n=69), participants watched a video about planets with IVR. All participants received interventions with a researcher-assisted Oculus Go virtual reality headset. Participants’ public stigma was measured through self-administered online questionnaires and compared across conditions and at different time points using repeated measures analysis of variance. Simple and sequential mediation analyses on the relationship of condition (immersive animation vs text) and follow-up public stigma with possible mediators, including sense of embodiment and story transportation, were conducted using PROCESS. RESULTS Public stigma did not differ significantly across conditions at pre-experiment (P>.99). In the immersive animation and text conditions, public stigma was significantly reduced at postexperiment and at the 1-week follow-up compared to pre-experiment (all with P<.001). Public stigma in the control condition at postexperiment and follow-up remained unchanged compared with pre-experiment (P=.69). Immersive animation had significantly lower public stigma than the control at postexperiment (P=.003) and follow-up (P=.02). Text also had lower public stigma than the control at postexperiment (P=.007) and follow-up (P=.03). However, immersive animation did not significantly differ from text in public stigma at postexperiment and follow-up (both P>.99). In simple mediation models, both sense of embodiment (95% CI –0.22 to 0.46) and story transportation (95% CI –0.18 to 0.00) were not significant mediators. In the sequential mediation model, both sense of embodiment and story transportation were significant sequential mediators. Sense of embodiment was positively associated with story transportation (P<.001), while story transportation was negatively associated with public stigma (P<.001). The indirect effect of the sequential mediation model was significant (95% CI –0.38 to –0.11). CONCLUSIONS This study provides novel findings and a rigorous comparison in understanding the effects of IVR on public stigma. The findings showed that IVR and text with audio narration performed similarly and significantly in stigma reduction. Sense of embodiment and story transportation were found to be sequentially associated with public stigma reduction. CLINICALTRIAL Centre for Clinical Research and Biostatistics Clinical Trial Registry CUHK_Ccrb00638; https://www2.ccrb.cuhk.edu.hk/registry/public/632

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Three agendas for changing the public stigma of mental illness.

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal ◽

10.1037/prj0000277 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Patrick W. Corrigan ◽

Maya A. Al-Khouja

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Public Stigma ◽

The Public ◽

Stigma Of Mental Illness

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The Public Stigma of Mental Illness

Journal of Health and Social Behavior ◽

10.1177/0022146512471197 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 54 (1) ◽

pp. 1-21 ◽

Cited By ~ 139

Author(s):

Bernice A. Pescosolido

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Critical Role ◽

Social Science Research ◽

Science Research ◽

Labeling Theory ◽

Mental Illness Stigma ◽

Public Stigma ◽

The Public ◽

Stigma Of Mental Illness ◽

Prejudice And Discrimination

By the 1990s, sociology faced a frustrating paradox. Classic work on mental illness stigma and labeling theory reinforced that the “mark” of mental illness created prejudice and discrimination for individuals and family members. Yet that foundation, coupled with deinstitutionalization of mental health care, produced contradictory responses. Claims that stigma was dissipating were made, while others argued that intervention efforts were needed to reduce stigma. While signaling the critical role of theory-based research in establishing the pervasive effects of stigma, both claims directed resources away from social science research. Yet the contemporary scientific foundation underlying both claims was weak. A reply came in a resurgence of research directed toward mental illness stigma nationally and internationally, bringing together researchers from different disciplines for the first time. I report on the general population’s attitudes, beliefs, and behavioral dispositions that targeted public stigma and implications for the next decade of research and intervention efforts.

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