Effects of Internet-based Storytelling Programs in Reducing Mental Illness Stigma With Mediation by Interactivity and Stigma Content

Summary

Mental illness stigma has been a concerning issue globally due to its adverse effects on the recovery of people with mental illness and may delay help-seeking for mental health out of the concern of being stigmatized. With technological advancement, Internet-based mental health stigma reduction interventions have been developed to combat mental illness stigma and the effects have been promising.

The present study aimed to examine the differential effects of Internet-based storytelling programs varied on level of interactivity and stigma content in reducing mental illness stigma.

In the present study, the investigator hypothesized that an Internet-based storytelling program with a combination of interactivity and stigma content would lead to the most significant reduction in public stigma, microaggression, and social distance from people with mental illnesses, followed by Internet-based storytelling program with stigma content-only and interactivity-only, compared with control. Secondly, the investigator hypothesized that the effects observed in stigma reduction would be mediated by perceived autonomy and immersiveness due to the presence of interactivity.

Conditions

• COMBO Condition
• STIGMA Condition
• INTERACT Condition
• CONTROL Condition

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Internet-based storytelling programs with interactivity and stigma content

Participants viewed an interactive stigma content website. Within 10 minutes post-experiment, participants completed the post-experiment questionnaire. One week after the experiment, participants completed the follow-up questionnaire.

BEHAVIORAL

Internet-based storytelling programs with stigma content only

Participants viewed a non-interactive stigma content website. Within 10 minutes post-experiment, participants completed the post-experiment questionnaire. One week after the experiment, participants completed the follow-up questionnaire.

BEHAVIORAL

Internet-based storytelling programs with interactivity only

Participants viewed an interactive non-stigma content website. Within 10 minutes post-experiment, participants completed the post-experiment questionnaire. One week after the experiment, participants completed the follow-up questionnaire.

BEHAVIORAL

Internet-based storytelling programs with no interactivity and no stigma content

Participants viewed a non-interactive non-stigma content website. Within 10 minutes post-experiment, participants completed the post-experiment questionnaire. One week after the experiment, participants completed the follow-up questionnaire.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Chinese University of Hong Kong

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Winnie Wing-Sze Mak, PhD · Chinese University of Hong Kong

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-12-27

Primary Completion

2021-03-04

Completion

2021-03-04

Countries

• Hong Kong

Study Locations