scholarly journals The Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality in Reducing Public Stigma of Mental Illness in the University Population of Hong Kong: Randomized Controlled Trial

10.2196/23683 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. e23683
Author(s):  
Anna S Y Yuen ◽  
Winnie W S Mak
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Immersive Virtual Reality ◽  
Public Stigma ◽  
Mediation Model ◽  
Stigma Reduction ◽  
Audio Narration ◽  
Stigma Of Mental Illness

Background Public stigma in mental health often brings various adverse effects on people with mental illness. Researchers have been developing different interventions in combating public stigma. Objective This study investigates the effects of immersive virtual reality (IVR) in reducing the public stigma of mental illness using a single-blinded randomized control trial. Methods A pre-post experimental design with a 1-week follow-up was conducted. Participants (N=206) were recruited through the mass mail system of The Chinese University of Hong Kong and randomized into 3 conditions: immersive animation, text, and control. In the immersive animation condition (n=72), participants experienced the simulation of daily life and the stigma experienced as an animated story protagonist with mixed anxiety and depressive disorder with IVR. In the text condition (n=65), participants experienced an identical story to the immersive animation condition with first-person audio narration using the same virtual reality headset. In the control condition (n=69), participants watched a video about planets with IVR. All participants received interventions with a researcher-assisted Oculus Go virtual reality headset. Participants’ public stigma was measured through self-administered online questionnaires and compared across conditions and at different time points using repeated measures analysis of variance. Simple and sequential mediation analyses on the relationship of condition (immersive animation vs text) and follow-up public stigma with possible mediators, including sense of embodiment and story transportation, were conducted using PROCESS. Results Public stigma did not differ significantly across conditions at pre-experiment (P>.99). In the immersive animation and text conditions, public stigma was significantly reduced at postexperiment and at the 1-week follow-up compared to pre-experiment (all with P<.001). Public stigma in the control condition at postexperiment and follow-up remained unchanged compared with pre-experiment (P=.69). Immersive animation had significantly lower public stigma than the control at postexperiment (P=.003) and follow-up (P=.02). Text also had lower public stigma than the control at postexperiment (P=.007) and follow-up (P=.03). However, immersive animation did not significantly differ from text in public stigma at postexperiment and follow-up (both P>.99). In simple mediation models, both sense of embodiment (95% CI –0.22 to 0.46) and story transportation (95% CI –0.18 to 0.00) were not significant mediators. In the sequential mediation model, both sense of embodiment and story transportation were significant sequential mediators. Sense of embodiment was positively associated with story transportation (P<.001), while story transportation was negatively associated with public stigma (P<.001). The indirect effect of the sequential mediation model was significant (95% CI –0.38 to –0.11). Conclusions This study provides novel findings and a rigorous comparison in understanding the effects of IVR on public stigma. The findings showed that IVR and text with audio narration performed similarly and significantly in stigma reduction. Sense of embodiment and story transportation were found to be sequentially associated with public stigma reduction. Trial Registration Centre for Clinical Research and Biostatistics Clinical Trial Registry CUHK_Ccrb00638; https://www2.ccrb.cuhk.edu.hk/registry/public/632

scholarly journals The Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality in Reducing Public Stigma of Mental Illness in the University Population of Hong Kong: Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna S Y Yuen ◽  
Winnie W S Mak
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Immersive Virtual Reality ◽  
Public Stigma ◽  
Mediation Model ◽  
Stigma Reduction ◽  
Audio Narration ◽  
Stigma Of Mental Illness

BACKGROUND Public stigma in mental health often brings various adverse effects on people with mental illness. Researchers have been developing different interventions in combating public stigma. OBJECTIVE This study investigates the effects of immersive virtual reality (IVR) in reducing the public stigma of mental illness using a single-blinded randomized control trial. METHODS A pre-post experimental design with a 1-week follow-up was conducted. Participants (N=206) were recruited through the mass mail system of The Chinese University of Hong Kong and randomized into 3 conditions: immersive animation, text, and control. In the immersive animation condition (n=72), participants experienced the simulation of daily life and the stigma experienced as an animated story protagonist with mixed anxiety and depressive disorder with IVR. In the text condition (n=65), participants experienced an identical story to the immersive animation condition with first-person audio narration using the same virtual reality headset. In the control condition (n=69), participants watched a video about planets with IVR. All participants received interventions with a researcher-assisted Oculus Go virtual reality headset. Participants’ public stigma was measured through self-administered online questionnaires and compared across conditions and at different time points using repeated measures analysis of variance. Simple and sequential mediation analyses on the relationship of condition (immersive animation vs text) and follow-up public stigma with possible mediators, including sense of embodiment and story transportation, were conducted using PROCESS. RESULTS Public stigma did not differ significantly across conditions at pre-experiment (<i>P</i>&gt;.99). In the immersive animation and text conditions, public stigma was significantly reduced at postexperiment and at the 1-week follow-up compared to pre-experiment (all with <i>P</i>&lt;.001). Public stigma in the control condition at postexperiment and follow-up remained unchanged compared with pre-experiment (<i>P</i>=.69). Immersive animation had significantly lower public stigma than the control at postexperiment (<i>P</i>=.003) and follow-up (<i>P</i>=.02). Text also had lower public stigma than the control at postexperiment (<i>P</i>=.007) and follow-up (<i>P</i>=.03). However, immersive animation did not significantly differ from text in public stigma at postexperiment and follow-up (both <i>P</i>&gt;.99). In simple mediation models, both sense of embodiment (95% CI –0.22 to 0.46) and story transportation (95% CI –0.18 to 0.00) were not significant mediators. In the sequential mediation model, both sense of embodiment and story transportation were significant sequential mediators. Sense of embodiment was positively associated with story transportation (<i>P</i>&lt;.001), while story transportation was negatively associated with public stigma (<i>P</i>&lt;.001). The indirect effect of the sequential mediation model was significant (95% CI –0.38 to –0.11). CONCLUSIONS This study provides novel findings and a rigorous comparison in understanding the effects of IVR on public stigma. The findings showed that IVR and text with audio narration performed similarly and significantly in stigma reduction. Sense of embodiment and story transportation were found to be sequentially associated with public stigma reduction. CLINICALTRIAL Centre for Clinical Research and Biostatistics Clinical Trial Registry CUHK_Ccrb00638; https://www2.ccrb.cuhk.edu.hk/registry/public/632

scholarly journals Experience of stigma among Chinese mental health patients in Hong Kong

2004 ◽  
Vol 28 (12) ◽  
pp. 451-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. F. Chung ◽  
M. C. Wong
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Chinese People ◽  
The People ◽  
Mental Health Patients ◽  
Stigma Of Mental Illness

Aims and MethodThe study was intended to rectify the lack of data on how Chinese people experience the stigma of mental illness. A questionnaire on perceived stigmatisation, experiences of rejection and ways of coping with stigma was completed by 193 persons attending a psychiatric out-patient clinic in Hong Kong.ResultsMost of the participants were aware of the stigma associated with mental illness, but experiences of rejection were relatively less frequent. Eleven per cent of the respondents indicated that they were neglected by health care professionals and 8% had been avoided by family members. The most frequently reported coping method was maintaining secrecy about the illness.Clinical ImplicationsIn China, people with mental health problems experience stigma in various degrees. However, some of the people surveyed expressed feelings of relief that others were supportive and sympathetic towards their illness. Mental health professionals should maintain optimism in helping their patients to cope with the stigma.

scholarly journals Embodying self-compassion within virtual reality and its effects on patients with depression

BJPsych Open ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline J. Falconer ◽  
Aitor Rovira ◽  
John A. King ◽  
Paul Gilbert ◽  
Angus Antley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Immersive Virtual Reality ◽  
Depression Severity ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Clinically Significant ◽  
Clinical Potential ◽  
Further Development ◽  
Virtual Body

BackgroundSelf-criticism is a ubiquitous feature of psychopathology and can be combatted by increasing levels of self-compassion. However, some patients are resistant to self-compassion.AimsTo investigate whether the effects of self-identification with virtual bodies within immersive virtual reality could be exploited to increase self-compassion in patients with depression.MethodWe developed an 8-minute scenario in which 15 patients practised delivering compassion in one virtual body and then experienced receiving it from themselves in another virtual body.ResultsIn an open trial, three repetitions of this scenario led to significant reductions in depression severity and self-criticism, as well as to a significant increase in self-compassion, from baseline to 4-week follow-up. Four patients showed clinically significant improvement.ConclusionsThe results indicate that interventions using immersive virtual reality may have considerable clinical potential and that further development of these methods preparatory to a controlled trial is now warranted.

scholarly journals School-based interventions targeting stigma of mental illness: systematic review

2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 164-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catriona Mellor
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Young People ◽  
Strong Evidence ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
School Based ◽  
Programme Design ◽  
Stigma Of Mental Illness ◽  
School Based Interventions ◽  
A Current

Aims and methodTo systematically review the published literature on the effectiveness of classroom-based interventions to tackle the stigma of mental illness in young people, and to identify any consistent elements within successful programmes.ResultsSeventeen studies were included in the analysis. A minority of studies reported a positive impact on stigma or knowledge outcomes at follow-up and there were considerable methodological shortcomings in the studies reviewed. These interventions varied substanitally in content and delivery. It was not possible to use this data to draw out what aspects make a successful intervention. There is currently no strong evidence to support previous conclusions that these types of intervention work for children and adolescents.Clinical implicationsWhen anti-stigma interventions for young people are rolled out in the future, it is important that the programme design and method of delivery have evidence to prove their effectiveness, and that the audience and setting are the most appropriate to target. There is a current lack of strong evidence to inform this.

The Persistence of Stigma Reduction After Teaching Abnormal Psychology Using Celebrity Narratives

2020 ◽  
pp. 009862832097988
Author(s):  
Anne Ferrari
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Public Stigma ◽  
Abnormal Psychology ◽  
Stigma Reduction ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Testing Data ◽  
Seeking Help ◽  
Psychology Course

Research shows that stigma toward mental illness prevents a large percentage of college students from seeking help. Finding pedagogies that can be utilized in the classroom to reduce stigma is important. The present study replicated previous research that utilized celebrity case material in the teaching of abnormal psychology for the purpose of reducing public stigma toward mental illness and help seeking. The present study also examined whether stigma reductions would persist beyond the initial post-testing. Data were collected using a pre-post design from 48 (experimental group) and 23 (control group) college undergraduates enrolled in an abnormal psychology course. Compared to the control group, the use of celebrities as narratives to teach about mental illness resulted in reduced public stigma toward mental illness and reduced stigma toward seeking help which persisted over a 6-month time period.

Innovative Technology-Based Interventions to Reduce Stigma Toward People With Mental Illness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matías E. Rodríguez-Rivas ◽  
Adolfo J. Cangas ◽  
Laura A. Cariola ◽  
Jorge J. Varela ◽  
Sara Valdebenito
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Video Games ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Public Stigma ◽  
People With Mental Illness

BACKGROUND Stigma towards people with mental illness presents serious consequences for the affected 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 To systematically review, synthesize, measure, and critically discuss experimental studies that measure the effect of technological interventions and on stigmatization levels. METHODS This systematic review and meta-analysis was based on PRISMA guidelines, and included studies in English and Spanish published during the years 2016 and 2021. Searches were run in five different databases (i.e., Pubmed, PsycInfo, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Science Direct). 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 1,158 articles screened, 72 articles were evaluated as full text, of which 9 articles were included in the qualitative and quantitative synthesis. 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= 1,832 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.

The California Assessment of Stigma Change: A Short Battery to Measure Improvements in the Public Stigma of Mental Illness

2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 635-640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick W. Corrigan ◽  
Michael Gause ◽  
Patrick J. Michaels ◽  
Blythe A. Buchholz ◽  
Jonathon E. Larson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Public Stigma ◽  
The Public ◽  
Stigma Of Mental Illness

scholarly journals Workplace Antistigma Programs at the Mental Health Commission of Canada: Part 1. Processes and Projects

2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 5S-12S
Author(s):  
Andrew Szeto ◽  
Keith S. Dobson ◽  
Dorothy Luong ◽  
Terry Krupa ◽  
Bonnie Kirsh
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Mental Illness Stigma ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Stigma Reduction ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Stigma Of Mental Illness ◽  
Health Initiatives

The Opening Minds Initiative of the Mental Health Commission of Canada has taken a novel approach to reducing the stigma of mental illness by targeting specific sectors. This first article describes Opening Minds’ research and programming initiatives in the workplace target group. This article describes the context of mental illness stigma in Canada and the development of the Opening Minds initiative of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, with a specific focus on the workplace sector. We outline the steps that were taken to develop an evidence-based approach to stigma reduction in the workplace, including reviews of the state of the art in this workplace antistigma programming, as well as the development of tools and measures to assess mental illness stigma in the workplace. Finally, 2 specific program examples (e.g., Road to Mental Readiness and The Working Mind) are used to highlight some of the procedural and logistical learnings for implementing antistigma and mental health initiatives within the workplace. In a second related article, we further examine the Opening Minds workplace initiative, with a discussion of the lessons learned from the implementation and evaluation of antistigma programming in the workplace.

Relationships of perceived public stigma of mental illness and psychosis-like experiences in a non-clinical population sample

2014 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yin-Ju Lien ◽  
Yu-Chen Kao ◽  
Yia-Ping Liu ◽  
Hsin-An Chang ◽  
Nian-Sheng Tzeng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Population Sample ◽  
Clinical Population ◽  
Public Stigma ◽  
Stigma Of Mental Illness
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