Mental health stigma among college students: Test of an interactive online intervention

Abstract

Objective: Young adults have low rates of help-seeking despite high rates of mental health problems, which relate to stigmatizing attitudes. Education as well as contact with people with mental health problems may improve stigmatization. The present pilot study tested the efficacy of an online interactive educational intervention that utilizes avatars depicting distressed individuals on stigmatizing attitudes toward mental illness and help-seeking. Participants and Methods: Eighty-five college student participants were assessed on self- and public-stigma as well as attitudes toward help-seeking and were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (intervention, control, post-test only). Results: Pre-post comparisons indicate that interactive programs may be an accessible and efficient means to reduce stigmatizing attitudes toward help-seeking among college students. Future studies should include follow-up assessments and measures of behavior and should consider individual differences. including personal mental health history.

Keywords:

• College students
• mental health stigma
• online intervention
• stigma reduction

Acknowledgments

Kognito^TM provided free access to the control intervention.

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States of America and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of Appalachian State University.

Additional information

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.