Looking beyond: informative community intervention reduces the stigma that adolescents have about psychiatric institutions

Abstract

Background: Stigma is an important issue that affects all aspects of our life and everybody, being in one side or the other. Mental health has been for long the target of stereotypes, rejection behaviours, negative attitudes and even myths due to ignorance about mental health, being these three elements(knowledge, attitude and behaviour) what compounds stigma. It has also been proved that stigma is one of the barriers for help seeking. Therefore, people with mental health disorders must confront their disorder but also stigma and all what it involves. As a result, this project might help population to change their mind about mental health. Perhaps that change in society will allow people who need mental health care to look for help earlier or without that fear that nowadays seems to be extended in population about psychiatric institutions.

Aim: The objective of this study is to determine whether an informative community intervention is an appropriate way to change stigma upon psychiatric institutions and to reduce barriers to access to mental health care.

Method: This will be a longitudinal, prospective, community intervention study. Participants will be the students in 3rd of ESO from Girona and it will be set in high schools. Questionnaires (CAMI, RIBS, MAKS, BACE, GHSQ) will be given for the students to fill before the intervention, at the end of 3rd of ESO and two years later in 2nd of baccalaureate to measure the impact of the intervention and to compare the results with the non-intervention group. Only the intervention group will do educative activities related to mental health and mental health resources which include: definition and introduction to mental health as a general concept that involves everyone, mental health care resources (Xarxa de Salut Mental i Addiccions de Girona) explained by the professionals who work daily on it, debates about movies and series which talk about mental health and first person witnesses about mental health (including disorders and institutions) who can talk from experience to the students