The Effect of Depression Education and Gender Identity on Attitudes and Beliefs about Depression
Start Date
29-4-2022 2:15 PM
Location
Alter Hall Poster Session 2 - 3rd floor
Abstract
Relatively high rates of Major Depressive Disorder are concerning, particularly when research commonly reveals that stigma acts as a barrier to help-seeking for mental health concerns (Lindow et al., 2020). The purpose of the current study is to examine if promoting individuals’ mental health literacy – specifically on depression or generally on mindfulness – affects men’s and women’s mental health related attitudes and beliefs (e.g., stigmatization). The current study will also examine if the success in promoting mental health literacy differs between men and women. The study is a between-subjects experimental design, where participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the experimental intervention (depression education) or control (mindfulness education). Participants read a depression-specific brochure or a less-specific brochure before answering a series of self-report scales. It was predicted that men would report more self and personal stigma, less favorable attitudes towards mental help-seeking, and lower depression literacy than women, especially when the intervention is generally about mindfulness compared to specifically about depression.
Keywords: Mental health literacy, help-seeking, self-stigma, personal stigma, depression, gender
The Effect of Depression Education and Gender Identity on Attitudes and Beliefs about Depression
Alter Hall Poster Session 2 - 3rd floor
Relatively high rates of Major Depressive Disorder are concerning, particularly when research commonly reveals that stigma acts as a barrier to help-seeking for mental health concerns (Lindow et al., 2020). The purpose of the current study is to examine if promoting individuals’ mental health literacy – specifically on depression or generally on mindfulness – affects men’s and women’s mental health related attitudes and beliefs (e.g., stigmatization). The current study will also examine if the success in promoting mental health literacy differs between men and women. The study is a between-subjects experimental design, where participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the experimental intervention (depression education) or control (mindfulness education). Participants read a depression-specific brochure or a less-specific brochure before answering a series of self-report scales. It was predicted that men would report more self and personal stigma, less favorable attitudes towards mental help-seeking, and lower depression literacy than women, especially when the intervention is generally about mindfulness compared to specifically about depression.
Keywords: Mental health literacy, help-seeking, self-stigma, personal stigma, depression, gender
