'Listening from a Personal Perspective': Does Co-Designed Mental Health Education Shift Stigma? A Mixed Method Evaluation Study

Abstract

Mental health stigma by health care practitioners is well established with few education interventions implemented in Australia. Depth of field is a growing body of health humanities research that draws on healthcare consumers as legitimate experts (by experience) to co-design health professions education. This research aimed to explore whether a co-designed (with mental health consumers) education intervention shifts knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions of current and future health care practitioners towards caring for people who have experienced mental health issues. A convergent parallel mixed method design was used to collect data utilising a validated anti-stigma assessment tool at two time points pre-and post-intervention (n = 80) followed by qualitative data from semi-structured interviews (n = 10). Descriptive analysis, Wilcoxon Sign-Rank test to compare pre-post responses and interview data were thematically analysed. Collectively, data showed positive shifts in knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions towards people who have experienced mental health issues. Three main themes: Making connections: The power of storytelling; Knowledge and attitudes towards Borderline Personality Disorder: Shape, strengthen, challenge; and Inspiring change in health care practice. Co-designed education can positively impact health care practitioners' knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions and has the potential to reframe mental health education toward recovery-oriented practice.