Reaching out to high school youth: The effectiveness of a video-based antistigma program

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the impact on high school students of a video-based antistigma program portraying real life experiences of individuals with schizophrenia and lesson plans to guide classroom discussions and active learning. Method: We used a pre- and posttest design to measure the short-term impact of the program on student's knowledge of schizophrenia and its treatment as well as students' self-reported socially distancing behaviours. Participants (571 students) were from 8 high schools across Canada. Results: Following the Reaching Out antistigma program, high school students were significantly more knowledgeable and less socially distancing. Impact also varied by age group and sex. Conclusions: Video-based antistigma programs are comparable to programs that deliver educational messages through direct contact with individuals with mental illnesses. Video-based programs are more easily disseminated on a broad scale.