The effects of a video-based randomized controlled trial intervention on depression stigma and help-seeking attitudes in university students

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2022

Authors

Virginia Conceição (Author) Other; Inês Rothes (Author) FPCEUP; Ricardo Gusmão (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Psychiatry Research

Vol. 308 No. Article 114356

ISSN: 0165-1781

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 0 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00V-XJ0

DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114356

Abstract (EN): University students are a risk group for developing mental illness, but they do not receive the care they need because of hampered help-seeking induced by stigma. This study evaluates the effects of a video-based stigma reduction intervention and help-seeking attitudes promotion in university students. We randomly distributed a sample of university students among one control group (CG, n = 188) and two intervention groups (IG-1, n = 222 and IG-2, n = 216): IG-1 watched a contact-based video and IG-2 the same video plus a psychoeducational video. The study followed an experimental single-blind randomized control trial design with a pre-test before the intervention (M0), a post-test, and a follow-up test. We evaluated participants using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Questionnaire, the Depression Stigma Scale, the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder. A total of 626 participants with a mean age of 19.85 (SD=1.48) responded to all evaluation moments. At M0, there were no differences between groups on stigma or help-seeking attitudes. Immediately after the intervention, stigma levels significantly decreased, and help-seeking attitudes significantly improved. These effects persisted for the next five months. Video-based depression stigma reduction intervention can be an essential tool to reduce depression stigma and improve help-seeking attitudes. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific