Abstract
Stigma has a negative impact on the lives of people living with mental health problems and can cause much shame, discourage access to support and treatment, and generally affect a person’s quality of life. It has been categorised into both public and self-stigma with various interventions into the potential of reducing stigma researched. Such interventions, programmes and campaigns are often based in methods of education or social contact. Stigma is particularly a problem for people with bipolar disorder, with the diagnosis often poorly understood by the public. More recently stigma reduction strategies have turned to the arts to create impactful, entertaining, and effective experiences, in a bid to help change public attitudes towards mental health problems and lessen mental health stigma.
This study engages in the secondary analysis of data collected from an immersive art installation that was open to members of the public. The installation was a multi-sensory experience that aimed to demonstrate what it is like to live with bipolar II. Responses to questionnaires, incorporating the Mental Illness Stigma Scale, the Social Distance Scale, and an adapted version of the Mental Illness: Clinicians’ Attitudes Scale, were collected at the time of booking, immediately following the experience and at a later follow up date. The questionnaire also provided space for free text comments.
This study describes the analysis of that data, with results showing statistically significant reductions in stigmatising attitudes on a number of dimensions. In contrast to previous research, statistical difference was noted at the follow up stage, suggesting that benefits extended beyond the timescale of the experience itself. Overall, it appears that the installation can be considered effective in reducing stigmatising attitudes, with notes for future areas of research indicated.