Health Education and Promotional Program Planning IIProgram Proposal

Stop the Stigma

Jasmine Scott

Kelvin Hall

Rachel Spivey

Kera Nobles

Table of Contents

Planning Team Biographies……………………………………………....…3

Abstract….…………………………………………………………………..5

Introduction…….…………………………………………………………....6

Needs Assessment………………………………………………………….11

Mission, Goals, and Objectives.……………………………………………15

Framework…………………………………………………………………16

Intervention………………………………………………………………...18

Budget……….……………………………………………………………..20

Logic Model………………………………………………………………..22

Methods……………...……….…………………………………………….23

Results……………………………………………………………………...24

Discussion………………………………………………………………….28

References………………………………………………………………….32

Appendices………………………………………………………………....37

● Promotional flyer

● Event photos

Jasmine Scott

Education Information Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia

Bachelor of Science in Public Health, Major: Health Education and Promotion

May 2016

East Georgia State College, Swainsboro, GeorgiaAssociate of Arts

May 2013

Rachel Spivey

Education Information Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia

Bachelor of Science in Public Health, Major: Health Education and Promotion

December 2016

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Tifton, GeorgiaAssociate of Special Education

May 2014

Ogeechee Technical College, Statesboro, Georgia Registered Nurse Assistant

August 2015

Kera Nobles

Education Information

Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia

Bachelor of Science in Public

Health,Major: Health

Education and Promotion

May 2016

East Georgia State College, Swainsboro, Georgia

Associates of Science Major: Exercise and

Health ScienceMay 2013

Kelvin Hall

Education Information Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia

Bachelor of Science in Public Health, Major: Health Education and Promotion Minor: Business

May 2016

Abstract

The negative stigma on mental illness continues to be a major barrier for individuals living with

a mental illness. Individuals that are not well educated on mental illness often form negative

attitudes, along with stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination which encompasses stigma and

influences how they interact socially with an individual who has a mental illness. The purpose of

Stop the Stigma was to educate residents of the Bulloch County community about the nature of

the negative stigma on mental illness and how it affects those living with a mental illness along

with encouraging individuals and families to seek support services. Participants were recruited

from the local National Alliance on Mental Illness chapter (n=11). An interactive activity was

done to differentiate between mental illness facts, myths, and hurtful comments followed by a

video and short lecture. Incentives were offered before and during the program to encourage

participation. A pre and posttest was used to measure knowledge about mental illness and was

analyzed using SPSS. Analyses revealed a slight increase in knowledge, but there was no

statistical significance. The researchers suggest that anti stigma interventions targeted towards

people within the community are more likely to be successful at increasing mental health literacy

by reinforcing multiple programs.

Introduction

Mental health is essential to the overall well-being of a person.  According to the

National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 43.8 million adults over the age of 18 in the

United States live with a mental illness that affects their thoughts, perceptions, emotions,

behaviors, and relationships with others (2013). 13.6 million people live with a serious mental

illness such as schizophrenia, major depression or bipolar depression (National Alliance on

Mental Illness, 2013).  42 million people are living with anxiety disorders, such as panic

disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety

disorder and phobias (NAMI, 2013).  Children also experience mental illness as approximately

20 percent of youth experience a mental illness beginning around age fourteen (Bulanda et al.,

2014).   

According to a recent study, anxiety and mood disorders noticeably differed according to

various factors among metropolitan, urban and rural residents.  Anxiety and mood disorders are

the most frequently recognized illnesses as post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety

disorders, and specific phobias were the most common anxiety disorders and depression was the

leading mood disorder affecting residents (Reeves, Lin, and Nater, 2013).  Although anxiety

disorders exist in metropolitan and rural areas, it is found more abundantly in urban areas.  On

the other hand, PTSD is more common in rural areas.  Moreover, women in urban areas

experience more depressive disorders than men whereas women with less than a high school

diploma are more likely to be depressive in rural areas (Reeves, Lin, and Nater, 2013).

Stigma

Stigma is defined as a sign of disgrace which sets a person apart from others and is a

barrier that affects numerous people living with a mental illness (Byrne, 2000).  Many contend

that stigma and fear of being labeled is a major reason why 25% of the estimated 50 million

Americans experiencing mental illness yearly will not seek mental health services (Images of

Mental Illness in the Media, 2004).  As a result, they are deprived of the many opportunities that

characterize a quality life such as employment, housing, suitable health care, and relationships

with various groups of individuals.  People use their existing knowledge of mental illness to form

attitudes, stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination which encompass stigma and influence how

they interact socially with an individual who has a mental illness (Ciftci, Jones, and Corrigan,

2013).  Cultural differences are also significant to stigma and can be more complicated for

individuals stemming from racial and ethnic minority groups (Ciftci, Jones, and Corrigan, 2013).

For example, in Chinese cultures where heritage is important, individuals with a mental illness

are considered to be tainting their family (Ciftci, Jones, and Corrigan, 2013).

Stigma is divided into three categories: public, self, and institutional.  Public stigma is

characterized as the reaction the general population has towards individuals with a mental illness

(Corrigan et. al, 2015).  Children and adolescents with a mental illness garner more tolerance

from the public compared to adults (Pescosolido, 2013).  Consequently, public stigma can

develop into internalized self-stigma for people with a mental illness and damage their self-

esteem, confidence, and it increase their likelihood that they will not tell anyone about their

illnesses (Images of Mental Illness in the Media, 2004).  Self-stigma is internalizing and

applying the stereotypes of mental illness to oneself and diminishes their self-esteem and their

self-efficacy (Wassel et.al. 2010).  

Self-stigmatization is high among individuals with mental illness.  A study conducted by

Rusch et al. 2014 was conducted to gain a better understanding of why people with mental

illness self- stigmatize themselves which revealed that some individuals developed low self-

esteem while others responded to stigma with empowerment (Rusch et.al. 2014).  In addition,

there were increased levels of perceived discrimination, as well as increased levels of perceived

legitimacy of discrimination that led to self-stigma (Rusch et.al. 2014). Perceived legitimacy of

discrimination is the key component of a person's response to stigma (Rusch, 2014).  

Institutional stigma refers to an organization’s tactics or literacy of negative attitudes and

beliefs.  Many employees face the dilemma of whether to disclose of their illness to their

colleagues and employers as well as how to deal with stigmas in the workplace that are often

ignored.  A study conducted by senior scientist Dr. Carolyn Dewa surveyed 2,219 Ontario

workers about their views on workplace mental illness which revealed that thirty-eight percent of

workers would not inform their manager if they had a mental health issue. However, over half of

the participants reported they were concerned if revealing they had a mental illness would

negatively affect their occupation (Good Therapy, 2015)  

Furthermore, stigma is exacerbated by the media. When stigma occurs in the media it can

be in the form of reports that discuss inaccurate stereotypes, often linking mental illness to

violence or portraying individuals as dangerous and disabled (Hoffner et al, 2015).  For instance,

the 2007 deadly Virginia Tech shooting led many individuals to correlate mental illness with

violence.  Stigma in the media can also be reflected on entertainment show, advertisements, and

information campaigns (Klin and Lemish, 2008).  Serving as a key source of information, the

media plays a vital role in shaping and strengthening society’s attitudes.  The media’s

representation of people with mental illness as violent, dangerous, and unpredictable reinforces

preexisting attitudes that results in the mentally ill suffering societal scorn and discrimination

(Mass Media and Mental Illness, 2004).   For example, journalists often use derogatory slang

such as psycho and loony to describe individuals with mental illness (Hoffner et al, 2015).  In

addition, children's’ cartoon television shows often make references to mental illness.  For

example, characters are portrayed as have unruly hair, artificial eyes, and rotting teeth while

verbally called crazy, loony, disturbed, and a freak (Eisenhauer, 2008).   The Surgeon General's

first comprehensive report on mental health in 1999 identified the stigma and discrimination

associated with mental illness as major barriers deterring people with mental illness from

acknowledging their mental health problems and seeking treatment (Images of Mental Illness in

the Media, 2004).

Research

Researchers examined published literature on programs or interventions aimed at

educating and reducing mental illness stigma among young adults. Upon conclusion of the

search, researchers apprehended that there are limited interventions conducted using theory as a

basis.  One study, conducted by Bulanda, Bruhn, Byro-Johnson, and Sentmyer in 2014 examined

the effectiveness of a program entitled Share, Peace, Equality, Awareness, and Knowledge

(SPEAK) on  57 adolescent middle school students.  Pre- and Post-tests were administered to

measure the effectiveness of the SASS program on high school students.  Although there was an

increase in knowledge, behavioral changes in participants were not met.    

Purpose

Due to a lack of knowledge and understanding, mental illnesses continue to be

stigmatized.  In order to effectively combat mental illness stigma, researchers should consider a

multidimensional approach in which various educational strategies are implemented among the

younger population. Researchers will conduct a theory-based intervention on mental illness

stigma among young adults.  The purpose of this program is to educate and reduce the stigma of

mental illness in the citizens of Bulloch County.

Needs Assessment

Health Status

Mental illness is common in the United States.  According to the National Alliance on

Mental Illness (NAMI), one in four adults experience mental illness in a given year (NAMI

Mental Illness, 2013).  Furthermore, about 13.6 million people live with a serious mental illness

such as schizophrenia, major depression or bipolar disorder (NAMI Mental Illness, 2013). 50

percent of Americans, will have a diagnosable mental illness in their lifetimes. According to the

Mental Health myths and facts , found that three out of four people with mental health issues

showed signs before they were twenty four years old (Mental Health,2015).

        NAMI State Statistics, of Georgia’s approximately 9.7 million residents, close to 349,000

adults live with a serious mental illness and about 111,000 children live with a serious mental

health condition (“NAMI State Advocacy,” 2015).  However, Georgia’s public mental health

system provides services to only twenty one percent of adults who live with serious mental

illnesses in the state.   In 2004, the Public Mental Health System in Georgia served only 22%-

40% of those who have Serious Mental Illness or Serious Emotional Disorders. Also the state of

Georgia is ranked 43rd nationally per capita expenditures for mental health services (“Georgia

Mental Health Gap Analysis,” 2005).  However, when compared to similar states Georgia is

getting fewer mental health services and it is providing a lower intensity of services to those that

do get services. The burden of mental illness is incredibly high due to increasing numbers of

uninsured people with mental health conditions.

Community Description

In rural Southeast Georgia, Bulloch County is home to many residents. Bulloch County is

made up of four cities, as following; Statesboro, Brooklet, Portal, and Register. Statesboro is the

county seat of Bulloch County. (“Bulloch County, 2015)  The population is approximately 71,

214, 2013. (“State and County Quickfacts”, 2015) According to the 2000 census, the county is

approximately 6.8% Caucasian, 28% African American, 1.9% Hispanic and 8% Asian or other.

People 18 years of age and older makes up 77% of Bulloch County’s population and those 65

years of age and older makes up 9.3%.(“Georgia Gov”, 2015) Bulloch County is the home to

higher learning institutions, such as Pineland Mental Health services and Statesboro NAMI

organization.

Community Link

At this time in Bulloch County there is a definite need for more involvement in the

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) organization. Lois Roberts the treasurer for the

Bulloch County NAMI states, “There are about fifty members of the Bulloch County NAMI

organization, but only around twenty-five active members participate in the monthly meetings.

The rest of the members usually donate money or support the organization in some other way.”

(Roberts, 2015) Through the local NAMI organization, meetings are held every month to discuss

how to cope with a family member that is dealing with a mental illness and discuss different

ways to approach the negative stigmas associated with a mental health diagnosis. An anonymous

member of the Bulloch County chapter said, “NAMI of Statesboro provides a safe place to talk

about the illness, find encouragement and understanding about the social issues and symptoms.”

(Anonymous, 2014) Another way NAMI of Statesboro provides encouragement and

understanding is when the consumer’s get in trouble with the law enforcement or hospitalized

members will volunteer their time to visit them.

Our job is to help Bulloch County become more aware of the NAMI program and what their

services have to offer. The proposed program will be complementary to the area. The proposed

program will more than likely enhance the existing program instead of competing with it. The

new idea for the program is to promote NAMI in a modernized way for the younger generation.

NAMI promoters want to make sure our generation knows that there is a safe place in Bulloch

County where one may go and seek help for their mental illness and not feel judged.  

Qualitative Data

The Lieutenant of Community Affairs Liaison and the Sergeant of the Department of

Public Safety for Georgia Southern University were both interviewed, as they are a part of

Bulloch Counties National Alliance on Mental Illness organization. At this time in Bulloch

County there is a definite need for more involvement in the National Alliance on Mental Illness

(NAMI) organization. Lois Roberts the treasurer for the Bulloch County NAMI states, “There

are about fifty members of the Bulloch County NAMI organization, but only around twenty-five

active members participate in the monthly meetings. The rest of the members usually donate

money or support the organization in some other way.” (Roberts, 2015)

In the spring of 2015, the examiners conducted an interview asking a series of questions

regarding mental health issues. Question 1:  Considering the different programs offered within

the organization, what are some things that you feel would assist Bulloch County in helping with

mental health?   

“By providing the different programs offered such as: help line and NAMI Support

Group. He also expressed that there should be more community awareness within the county and

a need for more resources to be accessible to the public". (Lieutenant, personal communication,

Feb 7, 2015). Question 2: If a person had never come in contact with an individual with a mental

health issue, what would they need to know?

“By providing safety measures e.g. remain calm and contact law enforcement to take

over. In cases where a law enforcer or police officer is not near, most individuals do not know

how to handle this issue and may not be aware of the severity. This is why it is important to be

aware and educate people regarding mental health". (Sergeant, person communication, Feb,

2015).

Based on the information that the researcher gathered, it seems that there is a major need

in Bulloch County for more resources for people who have mental illnesses. Furthermore, we

need to educate not only our parents or caregivers, but also our physicians as well on proper

ways to handle people with a mental illness or disorder. Lastly we need make aware of the fact

that police officers are now Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) trained and know how to handle

individuals with different mental health problems.

Mission, Goals, and Objectives

Mission Statement:

To educate Bulloch County about the nature of mental illness stigma and to encourage

individuals and families to seek support services

Goals:

1. To increase awareness of the local National Alliance on Mental Illness chapter in efforts to minimize the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness

2. To reduce the negative stigma associated with mental illness in the Bulloch County community.

3. To increase knowledge on mental health in the Bulloch County Community.

Objectives:

After the program:

1. Participants ages 18-26 will be able to identify three negative stereotypes of mental illness

2. Participants will increase their knowledge of mental illness by 25%.

3. Participants will score 10% higher on the posttest

Framework

The purpose of this program was to educate the Bulloch County community on the

negative social and perceived stigma of mental illness. The facilitators intended to target the

young adult population, ages 18-26. In order to make the target audience comfortable to come to

the program we chose a neutral environment at the Statesboro Regional Library.   

Self-Efficacy Theory was suitable for this program because it increases an individual's

confidence level, which reflects their intention to change their behavior.  There are four distinct

constructs: mastery experience, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, and physiological

arousal. By using the self-efficacy theory, we developed an evidence-based health education and

promotion program.

This program aimed at changing behavior by using vicarious and mastery experiences.

Vicarious experience is described as learning while observing a model. In the program,

participants observed their peers’ ability to determine the difference between myths and facts in

regards to mental health.  By observing others perform tasks, individuals may begin to question

their own prejudices about individuals with mental illnesses. Mastery experience relates to the

actual performance of a behavior or task.  This occurred when we attempted to change their

mindset by providing them with resources for understanding mental illness.  

After this experience, the researchers expected the participants to decrease the negative

perceptions of individuals living with mental illnesses by providing resources and an interactive

activity. Last but not least, the researchers wanted to change the knowledge of individuals with

mental disorders.  By providing information and skills needed to deal with individuals with

mental illness, we expect their self-efficacy to increase.  

(McKenzie, Neiger, & Thackeray, 2013).

Intervention

The Stop the Stigma intervention program will consists of a mixture of health communication

and health education strategies.  Both will be used to increase knowledge and awareness to

Bulloch County to enable them to improve their perceptions of mental illness.

Health Communication Strategies

The health communication strategy was used to inform and increase awareness and

knowledge about the stigmas surrounding mental illness and resources for treatment in

Bulloch County.   Health communication was used to help equip residents with the

information and skills that they would need to alter negative perceptions of mental

illness.  The tools that were used for this strategy were:

● Video clips: used to show examples of individuals living with a mental illness, mental

illness facts and help-seeking behavior.

● Interactive activity: used to identify participants prior knowledge of mental illness facts,

myths and hurtful sayings

● Flyers: were distributed to promote the program and make residents of  Bulloch County

aware of the program

To grab the attention of our target audience, we will distribute flyers to local businesses

as well as put an ad in the Statesboro newspaper that included information regarding the

program dates, times and instructors.

Health Education Strategies

The health education strategy was used to provide a structured, planned learning

experience and environment that would be used to convey mental illness stigma

information. This strategy allowed us to tailor instructional material to our audience’s

level of knowledge about mental illness and their beliefs and observe the effectiveness of

the program.  The tools that were used for this strategy were:

● Lecture/discussion: used to present mental health information and  allow the study

population to freely discuss, and share their thoughts on the information presented to

promote reflective thinking and behavior change

● Pre and Post Test: used to measure knowledge prior to the program as well as after

● PowerPoint slide: used to incorporate a variety of of multimedia files (images, video,

audio, and animations) that were used to enhance and complement the lecture.

Educating our target audience was done over the course of one educational and

interactive program. The goal of the seminar was to educate and inform participants

about the stigma of mental illness with the means of increasing their self-efficacy to

improve their perceptions.

Lesson Plan

Stop the Stigma

Community Organization: National Alliance on Mental IllnessGroup Members: Jasmine Scott, Kelvin Hall, Rachel Spivey, Kera NoblesProgram Date: September 28th 2015Duration: 1 Hour 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.Topic: Mental IllnessObjective: To educate Bulloch County about the stigma associated with mental illness

MaterialsNapkins, Handouts, Pencils, Cue Cards, Goody Bags, Plates, Cups, Lemonade, Coca Cola, Snack tray, Cupcakes, Color Flyers, Candy, TapeTime Type Action2 Min Introduction Introduced the program planning group to participants.5 Min Pre-Test Administered consent forms. A pretest was given to measure

participant’s prior knowledge on mental illness and stigma10 Min Explanation This time was used to explain the purpose of the program and why

the program planning group was presenting20 Min Activity Participants were asked to name some stereotypes and stigma

associated with mental illness. Cue cards were distributed with a mental illness fact stigma or hurtful statement and were asked to tape them in the category they saw fit. Planners discussed and organized which cards fall into these categories: myth, misconception, hurtful and facts and participants were asked to state where such ideas originated i.e. movies, media, books, and personal experiences.

15 Min Lesson The lesson focused on educating the participants about mental illness, stigma, and dispelling myths/fears. An informational video was shown.

5 Min Post-Test A posttest was given to measure the knowledge of the participants of what was covered during the lesson.

3 Min Conclusion Pamphlets and handouts were distributed to each participant containing information on mental illness, negative stigma, and the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI). Last minute questions and/or concerns were answered.

Budget

Place

Statesboro Public Library $30.00

Supplies

Plates 30/ pack @ $1.00 $3.00

Cups 10/ pack @ $1.00 $3.00

Table cloths 4 @ $2.50 $10.00

Napkins 1 @ $3.00 $3.00

Color flyers 20 @ $0.10 $2.00

Pencils 3 @ $1.00 $3.00

Roll of tape 1 @ $3.00 $3.00

Goody bags 15 @ $2.00 $30.00

NAMI educational pamphlets $0.00

Paper 4 @ $11.50 / pack $45.00

Refreshments

Snack tray 1 @ $10.00 $10.00

Lemonade 2 @ $2.00 $4.00

Cupcakes 4 @ $3.00 $12.00

Candy 2 @ $5.00 $10.00

Coke 1 @ $2.00 $2.00

People

NAMI faculty $0.00

Health educators(Jasmine, Rachel, Kera, Kelvin)

$0.00

Grand total $170.0

Participants demonstrated a

Participants were able to

Changed in personal attitude towards individuals with a mental illness

11 participants

Increased in

Provided information

Participants ages 23-79

“Myth,

Pre-test (Modified version of the Cornwall Healthy Schools Stop Stigma survey) Post-test (Modified

Timeline of Events

Events listed with checked marks have been completed. Events shaded in purple have not been completed.

TasksSemester: Spring 2014

Months

January February March April MayChoose Community Organization

✓

Develop Literature Review

✓

Conduct Needs Assessment

✓

Submission of Needs Assessment

✓

Create Intervention ✓Develop mission, goals and objectives

✓

Develop Measurement Chart

✓

Create Framework and Model

✓

Develop Intervention Strategies

✓

Develop Planning Committees Submission

✓

Develop Program Proposal for Final Submission

✓

Contact Hears and Hand Clinic Director

✓

Group Presentation ✓IRB Form Submission ✓

Input

Mid- term outcomes

Long- term

outcomes

Output

Short- term

outcomes

TasksSemester:Fall 2014

Months

August September October November DecemberContact Director ✓Redefine Program Goals and Objectives

✓

Meeting with Community Organization

✓

Create Lesson Plan and Timeline

✓

Create Consent form

✓

Introduction Submission

✓

Purchase Items for Program

✓

Create consent forms

✓

Create Bingo Cards

✓

Develop Methods

✓

Program Implementation

✓

External Evaluation

✓

Data Analysis ✓Send Out Thanks You Cards

✓

Contact Director ✓Group Presentations

✓

Report Results ✓Discussion ✓Abstract ✓Group Binder Submission

✓

Methods

Participants

Participants were individuals living in Bulloch County and were recruited through the

local National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) chapter via email, an ad in the Statesboro

newspaper, and flyers distributed throughout the community.  Eleven participants attended the

seminar held on October 5, 2015.  The demographics of the participants ranged between 23 and

79 years of age.  

Intervention

During the program, the participants participated in one health education session on

mental illness stigma. After a brief introduction of the facilitators and overview of consent forms,

participants were administered a pretest to examine their current knowledge of stigma.

Participants were then involved in an interactive game where they had to identify if a stigma was

a myth, fact, or hurtful statement.  Next, participants watched a video that showed concerns

related to how individuals with mental illness cope with everyday life and how others may

perceive them. A brief lecture followed explaining mental illness and stigma. Afterwards, all of

our participants were administered a posttest to examine if their perceived thoughts and/or

knowledge changed from the pre-test. Lastly, participants were involved in an open discussion

on how the Bulloch county community can become more involved in supporting locals with

mental illnesses.

Measure

The program was designed to measure the participant’s knowledge and attitude towards

mental illness.  Measurements were determined through the use of a twenty question survey,

which will measured participant’s knowledge and attitudes towards the individuals living with a

mental illness.  The instrument contained statements about mental illness to measure knowledge,

as well as ask diverse questions pertaining to the participant’s descriptions, experiences,

relationships, and awareness of individuals with a mental illness to measure attitude. In addition

to the survey items, there were two demographic questions asked on the pre and post survey.

Confidentiality was maintained by not asking any of the participants any identifying markers on

the instrument.

Data Analysis

Data analysis for this program was run on the SPSS Software, version 19 (SPSS Inc.,

Chicago, IL). We used the pre and post test to measure the participants’ change in knowledge

and attitude towards individuals with a mental illness.  A paired t-test was conducted to test for

statistical significance.

Results

Stop the Stigma program involved eleven participants (n=11). All participants were distributed a

pre and posttest. Table 1 shows the total average of knowledge for stigma on mental illness

among the pre and posttest. An independent t-test was run to find the difference between the pre

and posttest. When comparing scores, the average pre-test was 45.5 and the average post-test

was 48.5, yielding a three point difference. While the difference is positive, data analysis

revealed our p-value of .724 was not statistically significant. The item scores are presented in

Tables 1, 2, and 3.

Table 1. Report overall means of knowledge and stigma of mental illness determined by T-

test

Variable n x2 SD t df Significance

Group -.987 20 .724

Pre-test 11 45.4545 8.21418

Post-test 11 48.4545 5.83718

Table 2. Report overall means of knowledge on the stigma of mental illness determined by T-test Variable n x2 SD t df SignificanceGroup -.802 20 .903 Pre-test 11 21.9091 5.68251 Post-test 11 23.7273 4.92120

Table 3. Report overall means of stigma of mental illness determined by T-test Variable n x2 SD t df SignificanceGroup -.937 20 .474 Pre-test 11 23.5455 3.29738 Post-test 11 24.7273 2.57258

Participants were classified in groups in regards to gender and age. Both males and females

were in attendance and the majority of the participants fell between ages 23 and 80 years old. A

visual analysis of the data is presented in the figures below.

Figure 1. Age

Figure 2. Gender

The objectives of the program were not met. The small sample was not a representative of our

initial target audience. Additionally, participants possessed prior knowledge of mental illness

before attending the program due to their membership in the local National Alliance on Mental

Illness chapter. However, although there was no statistical significance, the program was

successful in creating short term changes in knowledge and attitude.

Discussion

Purpose

The purpose of this program was to educate residents of the Bulloch County community

about the nature of mental illness stigma and to encourage individuals and families to seek

support services.  During the Stop the Stigma program, a pretest was given to test existing

knowledge of mental illness followed by an activity to differentiate between mental illness facts,

myths, and hurtful comments.  A short video was shown to depict the stereotypes of individuals

living with a mental illness followed by a short lecture on the different types of stigma and how

the media plays a role.  Lastly, a posttest was given to measure a shift in knowledge.  In addition,

Participants also received informational brochures from the National Alliance on Mental Illness

as a local resource for seeking help.

Findings

Participants were distributed a pretest and posttest for data collection. The only

demographics that were used for this study was age and gender. There was a total of 11

participants (n=11). There was a three point increase between the pre and posttest, but our p-

value of .724 revealed there was no significance. We further examined the pre-posttest by the

knowledge and stigma questions. In the knowledge section, there was almost a 2 point increase,

but it wasn’t significant. In the stigma section there was a 1.2 increase, which wasn’t significant

either.  The objectives of the program were not met, considering the age group was an older

population than originally intended.

Literature

        In reviewing the literature of reducing mental illness stigma, several studies were

discovered comparable to our own. In 2014 a study was conducted by Jeffrey J. Bulanda to

evaluate the promotion of awareness on mental illness stigma in adolescents.  This study is

similar to our own, Stop the Stigma, in that the S.P.E.A.K program held a seminar that was 60

minutes long including PowerPoint presentations, open discussion, and the showing of a public

service announcement. In contrast to our program, the age demographics were not the same as

the S.P.E.A.K program had adolescents ages 12 - 17 and our program’s ages ranged from 23 -

74.  Furthermore, our program only had 11 participants whereas the S.P.E.A.K. program

managed to gather 120 participants from an afterschool program. We also conducted our

program over one session whereas the S.P.E.A.K. program was conducted over five sessions.

In the Stop the Stigma program, we offered incentives such as food and drinks as well as

favor bags filled with brochures from the local National Alliance on Mental Illness chapter.  We

attracted our participants with promotional flyers as well as an ad in the newspaper whereas the

S.P.E.A.K. program implemented their seminar in an afterschool program.  At the end of their

study, Bulanda et al. concluded that the program did increase mental illness knowledge as well

as social distance.  We have confidence that our methods were effective, however, the impact

would have been more successful if targeted towards a younger age group and larger sample

size.

In reviewing a school based trial called, “In Our Own Voice” is a knowledge intervention

that provides information about mental illness to improve mental health literacy. This program

also has personal contact with individuals living with mental illnesses and advocates the negative

stigma of mental illness. The participants were adolescent girls ages 13-17 years old (n=156).

There measurements included mental illness stigma and mental illness literacy based on an 8

week improvement on knowledge and stigma. In their intervention findings, there wasn’t a

significant improvement.  In corresponding to this program, our Stop the Stigma program had the

same intentions as the “In Our Own Voice”program. The only difference between our program

and theirs was the age group and we didn’t target a specific gender. We wanted to stop the

stigma throughout the Bulloch County community starting with individuals ages 18-26. Unlike

the “In Our Own Voice” program we did not have a 8 week improvement but only conducted a

one day intervention.  

Limitations

Several limitations are prevalent throughout our program.  First, the small sample size of

our program proved not to be accurate. Furthermore, most of our participants already had prior

knowledge about mental illness. Our program was intended to attract participants between the

ages of 18-24, however, we had a much older population attend the seminar. We also distributed

our flyers to the people who were already aware of the stigma that is placed on individuals with

mental illness.  Even though we put an ad in the local newspaper, that still was not enough to

attract our intended audience.  On ways to improve, we should’ve distributed the fliers to the

local high school, different colleges, and around our apartment complexes to captivate our

intended audience.  Overall, we would have recruited our intended audience if we planned our

strategies around engaging and involving the younger population.

        The researchers feel this study can be improved utilizing the voices of the students to

change the conversation about mental illnesses in high schools or on college campuses.  Also

developing and supporting chapters that include mental health awareness classes, education

classes, and advocacy groups on campuses would be a good way to increase students awareness

of mental health issues, provide them information and resources regarding mental health and

mental illness, and in doing this will encourage students to seek help immediately if needed (Kim

Foundation, 2014).  Lastly, students should serve as liaisons between other students and the

mental health community.

To improve health indicators, the practitioners could use the results from our study to

target the younger population and educate them on the signs and symptoms of mental illnesses.

Furthermore, the practitioners could inform them on how important it is to stay connected with

other peers and colleagues i.e. roommates, family members, friends, professors and academic

advisors.  This could help prevent such symptoms like the feeling of hopelessness and the

inability to cope, which could lead to other mental illnesses like depression or anxiety.

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Appendix