Qualitative evaluation of an anti-stigma intervention to reduce the impact of stigma in individuals with mental illness

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a group-based, psychoeducational and behavioural modification intervention, Overcoming Stigma in Mood and Anxiety Disorders, in reducing the impact of mental-illness-related stigma. A secondary objective was to explore the nature of behavioural changes that follow the intervention. Methods: Qualitative data was collected from focus groups and coded to generate themes. Thematic analysis was used to develop and modify a Theory of Change model for future program development. Results: Seventeen themes were generated. The themes were exploratory in nature and were categorized under the following sections: living with mental illness, program evaluation, and behavioural change. Conclusion: The results of this study have been encouraging. Qualitative understanding of this anti-stigma intervention can assist with future program development. Understanding the nature of behavioural change can guide development of impactful quantitative surveys for use in a broader evaluation. Enhanced evidence-based anti-stigma interventions can help individuals overcome self-stigma in order to have a full and meaningful life.

Department dc:contributor.department

Neuroscience Studies

Author dc:creator

• Sen, Shamik

Advisor dc:contributor.supervisor

• Milev, Roumen

• Mental Illness
• Behavioural Modification
• Stigma
• Mood Disorder
• Anxiety Disorder

Statement dc:rights

• CC0 1.0 Universal

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1974/24881

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:queensu.scholaris.ca:1974/24881