Reducing Mental Health Stigma
Reducing Mental Health Stigma

The Relationship between Knowledge and Attitude Change

Summary/Abstract: The impact of how knowledge can effect attitude change is important in order to understand theconsequences for stigma. The relationship between increasing subject knowledge of mental healthand attitude change was explored. The sample comprised 39 students (18 male and 21 female)from a university in the West Midlands. Participants’ level of knowledge and stigma were recordedthrough pre- and post-tests using the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS), CommunityAttitudes toward the Mentally Ill (CAMI) and the Opinions about Mental Illness (OMI) scale.Information about mental illness was provided between conditions followed by a distractor task.Responses were calculated and combined to give an overall score. A sign test with continuity correctionwas used to see whether there was a difference in attitudes. The pre- and post-test conditionswere scored. Results demonstrate a statistically significant median decrease in stigma in thepost-test condition (p = 0.03). Therefore, this research provides support for the success of providingknowledge and information about mental illness in order to reduce stigma.

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