Reducing mental illness stigma: What types of images are most effective?

Public stigma against mental illness is a barrier to treatment and recovery. Research into the design of anti-stigma messages has focused heavily on text; there is limited information on what types of images are most persuasive in eliciting anti-stigma outcomes. This is important to study because the type of image used to depict an illness can influence how the illness is perceived, which in turn can affect how people with the illness are treated. Through an online experiment with 162 American adults, this study investigated whether mental illness narratives about depression illustrated with photographs are more effective than those illustrated with cartoons at reducing stigma. It was found that the illustrated narratives, whether with photo or cartoon, produced more anti-stigma effects than the text-only narrative (control). Further, the photographic narrative was more effective than the cartoon narrative in eliciting closeness to the story protagonist and willingness to donate to mental health services. The study’s findings indicate that images should be used in anti-stigma messages on depression; further, regarding image type, photographs should be considered over cartoons as they are more effective in eliciting certain anti-stigma outcomes.Implications for PracticeThis study suggests that images have strong anti-stigma effects and that photographs are sometimes more persuasive than cartoons. These findings can inform best-practice guidelines for designing anti-stigma messages, created and disseminated by organisations such as the United States’ National Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health America. Images in these messages should be selected carefully as they can influence how people with mental illness are perceived and treated. This study suggests that images have strong anti-stigma effects and that photographs are sometimes more persuasive than cartoons. These findings can inform best-practice guidelines for designing anti-stigma messages, created and disseminated by organisations such as the United States’ National Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health America. Images in these messages should be selected carefully as they can influence how people with mental illness are perceived and treated.

公众对精神疾病的污名化是阻碍治疗与康复的一大障碍。现有针对反污名信息设计的研究大多聚焦于文本，而关于何种类型的图像在引发反污名效果方面最具说服力的相关资料十分有限。这一议题值得深入研究，因为用于呈现疾病的图像类型会影响公众对该疾病的认知，进而影响对患者的态度与行为。
本研究通过面向162名美国成年人开展的线上实验，探究了以照片配图的抑郁症精神疾病叙事，是否比以漫画配图的叙事更能有效降低污名化程度。研究结果显示，无论是搭配照片还是漫画的叙事文本，其产生的反污名效果均优于纯文本叙事（对照组）。进一步分析表明，照片配图的叙事在拉近受众与故事主人公的情感距离，以及提升受众为精神健康服务捐赠的意愿方面，效果要优于漫画配图的叙事。
本研究结果表明，在抑郁症反污名信息中应当使用图像；而就图像类型而言，相较于漫画，照片在引发特定反污名效果上更为有效，因此应优先考虑使用照片。
实践启示：本研究证实，图像具备显著的反污名效果，且照片有时比漫画更具说服力。上述研究结果可为反污名信息的设计提供最佳实践指南，这类信息通常由美国国家精神疾病联盟（National Alliance on Mental Illness）、美国心理健康协会（Mental Health America）等机构创作并推广。在这类信息中，应当审慎选择图像，因为其会影响公众对精神疾病患者的认知与对待方式。本研究证实，图像具备显著的反污名效果，且照片有时比漫画更具说服力。上述研究结果可为反污名信息的设计提供最佳实践指南，这类信息通常由美国国家精神疾病联盟（National Alliance on Mental Illness）、美国心理健康协会（Mental Health America）等机构创作并推广。在这类信息中，应当审慎选择图像，因为其会影响公众对精神疾病患者的认知与对待方式。