Resource/Manuscript: Self-Stigma of Mental Illness in High School Youth DOI: 10.1177/0829573512468846
Developers/Authors: Leah I. Hartman, Natalie M. Michel, Ariella Winter, Rebecca E.Young, Gordon L. Flett, and Joel O. Goldberg
High School Self-Stigma Program
A brief intervention among Ontario students
“Among the negative consequences of stigma, is that some individuals with mental illness internalize negative stereotypes about themselves, referred to as self-stigma, which is associated with a reluctance to seek needed treatment. The challenge to overcome mental illness stigma has led to the development of global anti-stigma initiatives, which effectively engage young people in school-based programs. The present study examines the effectiveness of a single-session anti-stigma intervention with high school youth (n = 254) [in grades 9-12].”
This study was conducted in 2011. 254 students from five schools in the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board region participated by attending a 75 minute anti-stigma presentation.
Key Findings
This brief antistigma presentation, tested among grades 9-12 students in the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board, receives a rating of 3C.
This intervention has been shown to have significant positive effects on the following key-pillars of Mental Health Literacy:
- Knowledge (measured via participants’ knowledge about schizophrenia)
- Help Seeking (self-stigma of seeking help)
- Stigma (measured via preference for social distance between oneself and others with mental illness’)
- Obtaining & Maintaining Positive Mental Health
- Recognition of Mental Disorders (Familiarity with mental illness - measured via students’ levels of prior contact with people who have mental illness)
Obtaining & Maintaining Positive Mental Health was not measured. Thus we have no insight into this program’s efficacy with regard to these key pillars.
The 75 minute presentation consisted of:
- Medical student talk: Providing definitions of, and information about key topics in mental health and mental illness, including schizophrenia, causes of mental illness, stigma, and celebrities living with mental illness
- Video presentation: Short videos showing harmful consequences of stigma
- Interactive stigma skit: Two students volunteer to perform a skit about the impacts of stigma and self-stigma
- Mental health consumer talk: students listen to someone diagnosed with schizophrenia who has experience in the mental health care system
- Changing stigma and information resources: Students learn about reducing stigma and are provided with resources to inquire further about mental illness and treatment
- Student Q & A
The study evaluating this anti-stigma intervention delivers promising results across several key-pillars of Mental Health Literacy. However, there appears to be no trajectory toward developing this intervention into a generalizable or externally accessible MHL program. At present, details of this presentation are only available in the academic manuscript. Please see the ‘Resource/Manuscript’ tab at the top of this page for the study name and distinct object identifier (DOI) if you wish to study, adapt, or attempt implementation of this presentation. However, we do not consider this program suitable for dissemination at this time.
For more information on our scoring system, criteria, and outcomes for the High School Self-Stigma Program, please see the Evaluation Process & Scoring page
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