Investigators
Zoe Waters, Ashleigh Lin, Yael Perry, Alana Papageorgiu, Jeneva Ohan
Project description
Stigma toward individuals with mental health challenges remains a pervasive global issue, particularly for young people at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis—a group that often faces misunderstanding, social exclusion, and delays in receiving appropriate support. There is a pressing need for non-stigmatizing, accessible educational resources that can help laypeople—including family members and peers—better understand the UHR criteria and experiences. These groups are often first to notice early signs and can play a crucial role in encouraging timely help-seeking, making their attitudes especially impactful.
This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of two brief written anti-stigma resources: (1) a psychoeducational resource, and (2) a combined education and indirect contact resource, which incorporated lived experience quotes from young people at UHR for psychosis. Lived experience quotes were used to provide insight while protecting the anonymity of the individuals involved.
This study sought to recruit participants from two key community groups: undergraduate psychology students (aged 18–25) and parents/caregivers of youth aged 12–25. We planned to randomly assign participants to one of the two resources and assess a series of constructs in a pre and post assessment (e.g., changes in perceived dangerousness, intergroup anxiety, outgroup evaluation, social distance, empathy, self-assessed knowledge, and confidence in offering support). Resource acceptability was also evaluated through both quantitative and open-ended responses.
By directly comparing educational content with and without lived experience input, this study hopes to provide valuable insights into how stigma can be effectively reduced and empathy fostered in community and educational settings. It also informs the development of acceptable and useful tools to support early intervention for youth at UHR for psychosis.
Funders
The University of Western Australia, School of Psychological Sciences