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Pereira da Costa L, Bierwiaczonek K, Bianchi M. Does Digital Intergroup Contact Reduce Prejudice? A Meta-Analysis. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:440-451. [PMID: 38721920 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.0591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
With the ubiquity of technology in the modern life, contact between different social groups via different digital means is an everyday reality. Can such a digital intergroup contact reduce prejudice, or does it exacerbate it? In this study, we summarize the present evidence on the links between intergroup digital contact and prejudice in a variety of intergroup contexts. We meta-analyzed experimental and correlational evidence from 88 independent samples (n = 9,385). Digital intergroup contact showed a small but significant effect consistent with prejudice reduction (g = 0.25). Direct digital contact showed larger effect than indirect forms of contact, and contact via computer-mediated communication showed larger effects than contact achieved via other activities such as interacting with nonplayable characters or embodiment. The effects were similar regardless of the type of out-group targeted by prejudice. Overall, meta-analytical results suggest that digital intergroup contact may reduce prejudice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kinga Bierwiaczonek
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Centro de Investigação e Intervenção Social, Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Lisbon, Portugal
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Chaves A, Arnáez S, García-Soriano G. The Effectiveness of a Cell Phone eHealth App in Changing Knowledge, Stigmatizing Attitudes, and Intention to Seek Help Associated With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Pilot Questionnaire Study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2024; 12:e48027. [PMID: 38551629 PMCID: PMC11015362 DOI: 10.2196/48027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disabling disorder associated with high interference in people's lives. However, patients with OCD either do not seek help or delay seeking help. Research suggests that this could be explained by poor mental health literacy about the disorder and the associated stigma. OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a mental health mobile app, esTOCma, developed to improve knowledge about OCD and its treatment, increase help-seeking intention, and reduce stigmatizing attitudes and social distance associated with OCD. METHODS We used preintervention, postintervention, and 3-month follow-up assessments in this single-arm pilot intervention. Overall, 90 participants were recruited from the community using the snowball sampling method. We used esTOCma to defeat the "stigma monster" over the course of 10 missions. The participants completed the sociodemographic information and Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised at preassessment and an acceptability questionnaire at postassessment. All other measures were completed at the preassessment, postassessment, and 3-month follow-up (ie, the Spanish Mental Illness Stigma Attribution Questionnaire-27, the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire, the Social Distance Scale, and the Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire). RESULTS Of the 90 participants from the community that were assessed for eligibility, 86% (n=78) were allocated to intervention. Of these 78 participants, 79% (n=62) completed the game and answered the postintervention assessment (completer group). Overall, 69% (43/62) of the participants also completed the 3-month follow-up assessment. The participants completing the study were older (P=.003) and had a higher baseline knowledge of OCD (P=.05). The participants took an average of 13.64 (SD 10.50) days to complete the intervention, including the pre- and postassessments. The participants spent an average of 4.56 (SD 3.33) days completing the 10 missions included in the app. Each mission took a mean of between 2 (SD 3.01) and 9.35 (SD 3.06) minutes. The app was rated as useful or very useful by the vast majority of participants 90% (56/62). Moreover, 90% (56/62) of the participants reported that they had learned or learned a lot, and 98% (61/62) of the participants reported that they would recommend the app to a friend. Repeated measures ANOVA (43/62, 69%) showed that after the intervention participants showed an increased knowledge of mental health and intention to seek help as well as fewer stigmatizing attitudes and less social distance. CONCLUSIONS Preliminary data show that esTOCma is a feasible and acceptable app, and after completing its 10 missions, there is an increase in the understanding of OCD and help-seeking intention along with a decrease in the social stigma and social distance associated with OCD that lasts for at least 3 months. The results support the potential of technology-based interventions to increase the intention to seek help and reduce the stigma associated with OCD. A larger, community-controlled study is also recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Chaves
- Departamento de Orientación Educativa, IES Cid Campeador, Conselleria d'Educació, Cultura i Esport, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sandra Arnáez
- Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamientos Psicológicos, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Gemma García-Soriano
- Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamientos Psicológicos, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
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Rodríguez-Rivas ME, Cangas AJ, Martin A, Romo J, Pérez JC, Valdebenito S, Cariola L, Onetto J, Hernández B, Ceric F, Cea P, Corrigan P. Reducing Stigma Toward People with Serious Mental Illness Through a Virtual Reality Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Games Health J 2024; 13:57-64. [PMID: 37695822 DOI: 10.1089/g4h.2023.0118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Stigma toward people with serious mental illnesses (SMI), like schizophrenia, is a serious global public health challenge that limits the quality of life of those affected and poses a major barrier that keeps people from seeking professional help. There is an urgent need for novel, effective, and scalable interventions to decrease stigmatized perceptions of chronic psychotic disorders and to reduce the health burden imposed by them. Method: We conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of a new immersive virtual reality game (Inclúyete-VR) on the level of stigma toward people with SMI, measured by the Attribution questionnaire (AQ-27). Participants in the experimental group were exposed in an immersive way to hallucinations common in schizophrenia, then shown different psychosocial resources available for their recovery and social inclusion; those in the control group used VR software unrelated to mental health. VR sessions were delivered through Oculus headgear and lasted 25 minutes. Results: We randomly assigned 124 university students (55% female) to experimental or control conditions (n = 62 each). We used mixed ANOVA to compare outcomes before and after the intervention between the two groups. We found a significant intervention-by-time interaction (P < 0.001), with a reduction in the experimental group of overall stigma levels on the AQ-27 scale and its three subscales: dangerousness-fear, avoidance, and lack of solidarity (P < 0.001 for all). Conclusions: The Inclúyete-VR software proved effective in the short term in reducing stigma toward people with severe mental illness. The program's longer-term efficacy, scalability, and dissemination remain to be studied. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05393596.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adolfo J Cangas
- Department of Psychology, Health Research Center, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - Andrés Martin
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Javiera Romo
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - J Carola Pérez
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sara Valdebenito
- Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Cariola
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Josefina Onetto
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Francisco Ceric
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Cea
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
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How threatening are people with mental disability? it depends on the type of threat and the disability. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03655-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThere is clear evidence that people with mental disability suffer from discrimination at school, at work, and in society. Less is known about the psychological processes and perceptions that guide such behaviors and even less if these perceptions vary according to the type of disability. Our objective was to build on well-established social psychological models and investigate the perceptions (i.e., stereotypes, perceived threats, and emotions) of people towards different types of mental disability. Participants from two francophone countries completed a questionnaire measuring their perceptions towards 18 mental disabilities and their familiarity with disability (N = 560). As expected, results revealed heterogeneous perceptions across groups. Moreover, perceived threats mediated the link between the stereotype of warmth and emotions. Surprisingly, greater familiarity with mental disability went along with greater derogation. This research nuances the overly generalized perceptions often associated with mental disability. We discuss implications for the reduction of discrimination against people with mental disability.
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Hatoum AH, White FA. Advancing E-contact to Reduce Intergroup Anxiety and Increase Positive Attitudes Towards Individuals Who Identify as Bisexual. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2022; 59:872-885. [PMID: 35416730 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2022.2059648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Bisexual individuals are invisible sexual minorities, who face prejudice and "double discrimination" from both heterosexual and sexual minority communities. Despite this, little empirical research has examined bisexual prejudice reduction. To address this, the current study tested an E-contact intervention - a highly structured, text-based, online interaction tool - to reduce bisexual prejudice. Heterosexual participants (N = 170) were randomly allocated to an intergroup (E-contact) or intragroup (control) interaction, with either a male or female interaction partner. Findings indicated that intergroup E-contact resulted in less intergroup anxiety compared to an intragroup interaction, and that this effect was more pronounced when the bisexual interaction partner was male for heterosexual men, but not for heterosexual women. Although E-contact had no direct effect on tolerance toward bisexual individuals or the perceived stability of bisexuality as a sexual orientation, findings revealed that reduced intergroup anxiety mediated the effect of E-contact on these outcome variables. This result was found in the intergroup dynamic of heterosexual men interacting with bisexual men, providing an important experimental demonstration of the potential for harnessing an E-contact intervention to reduce affective prejudice toward bisexual individuals.
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Chamorro Coneo A, Aristizabal Diazgranados E, Hoyos de los Rios O, Aguilar Santander D. Danger appraisal and pathogen-avoidance mechanisms in stigma towards severe mental illness: the mediating role of affective responses. BMC Psychiatry 2022; 22:330. [PMID: 35549926 PMCID: PMC9097401 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-03951-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stereotypes of dangerousness are common predictors of stigmatising attitudes towards Severe Mental Illness (SMI). However less is known about pathogen avoidance mechanisms underlying stigma towards SMI, specially in samples of non-industrialised societies of Latin America and the Caribbean. The primary aim of this study was to examine pathogen-disgust sensitivity and danger appraisal mechanisms in responses of stigma towards SMI. METHODS Cross-sectional design with convenience sampling. Using an online survey, volunteers at the Universidad del Norte in Colombia (N = 271) provided their sociodemographic data and completed the Three-Domain Disgust Scale (TDDS). Participants were randomised to different descriptions of someone with SMI that varied in terms of aggressiveness (with and without danger) and causes of the SMI. Then, following the attribution questionnaire (AQ-27), respondents reported affective and discriminatory responses to the person in the description. RESULTS Increased disgust sensitivity to pathogen stimuli resulted in stronger reports of anger (β = .14; p = .03), and fear (β = 0.27; p < 0.001). The relationship between disgust sensitivity and discriminatory responses was indirectly mediated by fear towards SMI (Bootstrapped CI =-.04,-.009). Dangerousness attributions in the description of SMI predicted stronger feelings of anger (β = .23; p = 0.001) and fear (β = .40; p < .001), as well increased support for coercion-segregation of SMI (β = .34; p = 0.04), but less intentions to help (β = -.26; p = 0.003). The relationship between dangerousness and support for coercion was mediated by fear (Bootstrapped CI = .72, 1.37) and anger (Bootstrapped CI = .06, .44), whereas pity (Bootstrapped CI = .03, .38) and fear (Bootstrapped CI = -1.39, -.69) mediated responses of support for coercion-segregation of SMI. Attributions about causes and personal responsibility were not significantly linked to stigma towards SMI (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Findings suggested that pathogen avoidance and danger appraisal systems interplay in the generation of discriminatory behaviour towards SMI. Anti-stigma programs and policy makers would benefit from introducing strategies that challenge stereotypes of dangerousness and unpredictability by promoting positive contact with people with SMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Chamorro Coneo
- Psychology department, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla-Atlántico, Colombia.
| | | | - Olga Hoyos de los Rios
- grid.412188.60000 0004 0486 8632Psychology department, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla-Atlántico, Colombia
| | - Daniela Aguilar Santander
- grid.412188.60000 0004 0486 8632Psychology department, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla-Atlántico, Colombia
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Tropp LR, White F, Rucinski CL, Tredoux C. Intergroup Contact and Prejudice Reduction: Prospects and Challenges in Changing Youth Attitudes. REVIEW OF GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/10892680211046517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Intergroup contact has long been lauded as a key intervention to reduce prejudice and improve intergroup attitudes among youth. In this review, we summarize classic perspectives and new developments in the intergroup contact literature, highlighting both prospects and challenges associated with achieving desired youth outcomes through contact. First, we review literature showing how positive intergroup outcomes can be facilitated through cultivating optimal conditions for contact, as well as by attending to youth’s emotional responses to contact. We then discuss how desired contact outcomes may be inhibited by limited understanding of ways in which contact strategies may affect youth across developmental stages, as well as by limited focus on societal inequalities and intergroup conflict, which require examination of outcomes beyond prejudice reduction. We also review growing bodies of research on indirect contact strategies—such as extended contact, vicarious contact, and online contact—showing many options that can be used to promote positive relations among youth from diverse backgrounds, beyond the contact literature’s traditional focus on face-to-face interaction. We conclude this review by acknowledging how understanding both prospects and challenges associated with implementing contact strategies can enhance our capacity to prepare youth to embrace group differences and build more inclusive societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda R. Tropp
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Fiona White
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Christina L. Rucinski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Colin Tredoux
- Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Western Cape, South Africa
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Rodríguez-Rivas ME, Cangas AJ, Cariola LA, Varela JJ, Valdebenito S. Innovative Technology-Based Interventions to Reduce Stigma Toward People With Mental Illness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (Preprint). JMIR Serious Games 2021; 10:e35099. [PMID: 35635744 PMCID: PMC9153904 DOI: 10.2196/35099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Stigma toward people with mental illness presents serious consequences for the impacted individuals, such as social exclusion and increased difficulties in the recovery process. Recently, several interventions have been developed to mitigate public stigma, based on the use of innovative technologies, such as virtual reality and video games. Objective This review aims to systematically review, synthesize, measure, and critically discuss experimental studies that measure the effect of technological interventions on stigmatization levels. Methods This systematic review and meta-analysis was based on PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines and included studies in English and Spanish published between 2016 and 2021. Searches were run in 5 different databases (ie, PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and ScienceDirect). Only randomized controlled trials were included. Two independent reviewers determined the eligibility, extracted data, and rated methodological quality of the studies. Meta-analyses were performed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software. Results Based on the 1158 articles screened, 72 articles were evaluated as full text, of which 9 were included in the qualitative and quantitative syntheses. A diversity of interventions was observed, including video games, audiovisual simulation of hallucinations, virtual reality, and electronic contact with mental health services users. The meta-analysis (n=1832 participants) demonstrated that these interventions had a consistent medium effect on reducing the level of public stigma (d=–0.64; 95% CI 0.31-0.96; P<.001). Conclusions Innovative interventions involving the use of technologies are an effective tool in stigma reduction, therefore new challenges are proposed and discussed for the demonstration of their adaptability to different contexts and countries, thus leading to their massification. Trial Registration PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42021261935; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021261935
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Affiliation(s)
- Matías E Rodríguez-Rivas
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Psychology, Health Research Centre, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - Adolfo J Cangas
- Department of Psychology, Health Research Centre, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - Laura A Cariola
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Jorge J Varela
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sara Valdebenito
- Violence Research Centre, Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Ganesan A, Carter-Sowell AR. Buffering anti-fat attitudes using contact: The roles of contact quantity, duration, favorability, and intergroup anxiety. Body Image 2021; 38:120-126. [PMID: 33887561 DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Decades of intergroup contact research have found that contact with outgroups reduces negative attitudes. Yet, few studies have examined the association between contact and anti-fat attitudes. Furthermore, testing different facets of contact, namely contact quantity versus contact duration, provides more precise theoretical predictions for their effectiveness in this under-tested context. This study examined whether intergroup anxiety was indirectly related to and contact favorability moderated the relationship between contact and anti-fat attitudes, tested through the constructs of contact quantity (i.e., how many individuals interacted with) and contact duration (i.e., how often time was spent). Undergraduates (N = 343; 260 women) based in the United States completed an online survey assessing intergroup contact, contact favorability, intergroup anxiety, and anti-fat attitudes. Analyses of conditional indirect effects showed that longer contact but not more contact reduced intergroup anxiety, which lowered anti-fat attitudes. The indirect paths for both contact types were not conditional upon contact favorability. Contact favorability moderated the association between contact duration and anti-fat attitudes such that longer and more favorable contact lowered anti-fat attitudes. Findings are discussed within the contact hypothesis, and future research should explore the distinct elements of the hypothesis as applicable to anti-fat prejudice in in-person and online contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asha Ganesan
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, TX, USA.
| | - Adrienne R Carter-Sowell
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences and the Interdisciplinary Critical Studies Program, Texas A&M University, TX, USA
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Stelzmann D, Toth R, Schieferdecker D. Can Intergroup Contact in Virtual Reality (VR) Reduce Stigmatization Against People with Schizophrenia? J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10132961. [PMID: 34209466 PMCID: PMC8268577 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10132961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
People with mental disorders such as schizophrenia do not only suffer from the symptoms of their disorders but also from the stigma attached to it. Although direct intergroup contact is an effective tool to reduce stigmatization, it is rare in real life and costly to be established in interventions, and the success of traditional media campaigns is debatable. We propose Virtual Reality (VR) as a low-threshold alternative for establishing contact since it involves less barriers for affected and unaffected persons. In a 2 + 1 experiment (n = 114), we compared the effects of encounters with a person with schizophrenia through a VR video with contact through a regular video and no contact at all on anxiety, empathy, social proximity, and benevolence towards people with schizophrenia. We found that contact via VR reduced stigmatization only for participants who liked the person encountered. Our data suggest that it is crucial how participants evaluate the person that they encounter and that stronger perception of spatial presence during reception plays an important role, too. Therefore, we discussvarious boundary conditions that need to be considered in VR interventions and future research on destigmatization towards mental disorders, especially schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Stelzmann
- Institute of Computer Science, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Correspondence:
| | - Roland Toth
- Institute for Media and Communication Studies, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany; (R.T.); (D.S.)
| | - David Schieferdecker
- Institute for Media and Communication Studies, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany; (R.T.); (D.S.)
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Bagci SC, Guvensoy I, Turner RN, White FA, Piyale ZE. Investigating the role of E‐contact and self‐disclosure on improving Turkish‐Kurdish interethnic relations. JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jasp.12760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sabahat C. Bagci
- Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Sabanci University Istanbul Turkey
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12
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Rodríguez-Rivas ME, Cangas AJ, Fuentes-Olavarría D. Controlled Study of the Impact of a Virtual Program to Reduce Stigma Among University Students Toward People With Mental Disorders. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:632252. [PMID: 33633613 PMCID: PMC7900522 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.632252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Stigma toward mental disorders is one of today's most pressing global issues. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the barriers to social inclusion faced by individuals with mental disorders. Concurrently, stigma reduction interventions, especially those aimed at university students, have been more difficult to implement given social distancing and campus closures. As a result, alternative delivery for programs contributing to stigma reduction is required, such as online implementation. This paper reports the results of a controlled study focused on an online multi-component program on reducing stigma toward mental illness that included project-based learning, clinical simulations with standardized patients and E-Contact with real patients. A total of 40 undergraduate students from the Universidad del Desarrollo in Santiago, Chile, participated in the study. They were randomly divided between an intervention and control group. The intervention group participated in the online multi-component program, while the control group participated in an online educational program on cardiovascular health. We assessed the impact of the program by using the validated Spanish-language versions of the Attribution Questionnaire AQ-27 and the Questionnaire on Student Attitudes toward Schizophrenia with both groups, before and after the intervention. In addition, an ad hoc Likert scale ranging from 0 to 5 was used with the intervention group in order to assess the learning strategies implemented. Following the intervention, the participants belonging to the intervention group displayed significantly lower levels of stereotypes, perception of dangerousness, and global score toward people with schizophrenia (p < 0.001). In addition, participants presented lower levels of dangerousness-fear, avoidance, coercion, lack of solidarity, and global score (p < 0.001). The control group displayed no statistically significant differences in the level of stigma before and after the evaluation, for all of the items assessed. Finally, the overall assessment of each of the components of the program was highly positive. In conclusion, the study shows that online programs can contribute to reducing stigma toward mental disorders. The program assessed in this study had a positive impact on all the dimensions of stigma and all of the components of the program itself were positively evaluated by the participants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adolfo J Cangas
- Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
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White FA, Maunder R, Verrelli S. Text-based E-contact: Harnessing cooperative Internet interactions to bridge the social and psychological divide. EUROPEAN REVIEW OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/10463283.2020.1753459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fiona A. White
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rachel Maunder
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Stefano Verrelli
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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White FA, Verrelli S, Maunder RD, Kervinen A. Using Electronic Contact to Reduce Homonegative Attitudes, Emotions, and Behavioral Intentions Among Heterosexual Women and Men: A Contemporary Extension of the Contact Hypothesis. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2019; 56:1179-1191. [PMID: 30019950 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2018.1491943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The current study experimentally examined the potential for a contemporary extension of the contact hypothesis, known as electronic contact, or E-contact, to reduce sexual prejudice, intergroup anxiety, and avoidant behavioral intentions among heterosexuals. It also extended the sexual minority contact literature by examining the role of participant and interaction partner sex as a possible boundary condition of this contact-prejudice relationship. To test our hypotheses, 140 heterosexual female and male university students were randomly allocated to interact with a homosexual or heterosexual, female or male E-contact partner, in a collaborative and text-only online interaction before completing the outcome measures. Overall, the results demonstrated that interacting online with a female, as opposed to a male, homosexual E-contact partner reduced heterosexual men's feelings of intergroup anxiety, which in turn was associated with lower sexual prejudice and outgroup avoidance. For heterosexual women, however, E-contact did not influence the outcome variables. In the context of sexual prejudice, these results suggest that E-contact may be particularly useful as a prejudice-reduction strategy among individuals who typically require it most: heterosexual men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona A White
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney , Sydney , Australia
| | - Stefano Verrelli
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney , Sydney , Australia
| | - Rachel D Maunder
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney , Sydney , Australia
| | - Angus Kervinen
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney , Sydney , Australia
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Maunder RD, White FA. Intergroup contact and mental health stigma: A comparative effectiveness meta-analysis. Clin Psychol Rev 2019; 72:101749. [PMID: 31254936 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2019.101749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Mental health stigma is a substantial problem all over the world. Although many interventions to reduce stigma exist, there is considerable methodological variability, making it difficult for decision-makers to determine what strategies are the most effective and what characteristics make them so. To this end, we conducted a meta-analysis on intergroup contact strategies and examined several potential moderators. We searched 5 databases for published and unpublished studies and retrieved 101 studies from 24 countries that could be included in the analyses. Ninety studies assessed outcomes immediately after the intervention (n = 15,826), 33 in the short-term (n = 3,697), and 7 in the medium-term (n = 842). The effect of contact was significant and small-to-medium in size at all three timepoints, d = -0.384, -0.334, and -0.526, respectively. Intervention effectiveness did not differ between contact with or without an educational component, different contact mediums, or the mental illness of the outgroup member. However, the effect of contact was stronger in non-Western countries and in university students and health professionals compared to community members. These results may inform policy-makers of the most effective and suitable stigma-reduction initiatives to invest in and can guide researchers towards important avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fiona A White
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Maunder RD, Day SC, White FA. The benefit of contact for prejudice-prone individuals: The type of stigmatized outgroup matters. The Journal of Social Psychology 2019; 160:92-104. [DOI: 10.1080/00224545.2019.1601608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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18
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White FA, Turner RN, Verrelli S, Harvey LJ, Hanna JR. Improving intergroup relations between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland via E-contact. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.2515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fiona A. White
- School of Psychology; The University of Sydney; Sydney NSW Australia
| | | | - Stefano Verrelli
- School of Psychology; The University of Sydney; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Lauren J. Harvey
- School of Psychology; The University of Sydney; Sydney NSW Australia
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