NCJ Number
244654
Journal
Social Work in Mental Health Volume: 11 Issue: 1-6 Dated: November-December 2013 Pages: 118-140
Date Published
November 2013
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This article describes the development and evaluation of an educational seminar with information about mental illness for first-year university students.
Abstract
In response to evidence that mental illness stigma is especially prevalent among college students, an innovative seminar was developed that mixed popular films and other media with lectures and class discussions to reduce new college students' stigma. Multivariate analyses showed students in the seminar had more negative attitudes toward people with schizophrenia at the beginning of the seminar but possessed significantly more positive attitudes at the end when compared to a control group. Most notably, seminar students showed greater improvements in their feelings of fear, perceived dangerousness, and desire for segregation from people with schizophrenia than control group students. Implications for college students and anti-stigma programming are discussed. Abstract published by arrangement with Taylor and Francis.