Provision of online normalising information to reduce stigma associated with psychosis: Can an audio podcast challenge negative appraisals of psychotic experiences?

Abstract

Cognitive models of psychosis suggest that challenging negative appraisals of psychotic experiences could directly reduce associated distress and stigma. A pilot study investigating whether online normalising information in the form of an audio podcast could challenge negative appraisals of psychotic experiences in the general population was conducted. Within‐subject change in negative appraisals of psychotic experiences and knowledge of prevalence of psychotic experiences were evaluated using pre‐ and post‐podcast self‐report questionnaires. One hundred and forty‐six people provided partial or full responses to a pre‐podcast assessment, and 49% returned to complete follow‐up measures. There was a significant reduction in participants' scores on measures of negative appraisals of auditory hallucinations and paranoia, a significant increase in their scores on a measure of normalising beliefs about paranoia and a significant increase in their estimates of the prevalence of psychotic experiences. The results of this pilot study are encouraging, but further research is required to evaluate this approach.

Keywords:

• cognitive behaviour therapy
• discrimination
• prevention
• stigma

Acknowledgements

Thanks to those who took part, to Dr Vaughan Bell of mindhacks.com for kindly agreeing to advertise the podcast; to Dr Nigel Warburton of philosophybites.com for his invaluable advice on equipment and production; to Garry Byrne for his IT support; and to anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier draft.