Effectiveness of School-Based Interventions on Mental Health Stigmatization

Abstract

This chapter first provides an overview and analysis of current school-based interventions on mental health stigmatization. This includes contact-based education, literacy-based education, and other approaches such as protest, art-based interventions, and the summit approach. The effectiveness of contact-based education in improving knowledge, attitudes, and behavioural intentions towards people with mental illnesses is supported by strong evidence. The student-driven summit approach is also a promising intervention in schools. Next the Opening Minds anti-stigma initiative of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, one of the first national anti-stigma programs to target school youth using contact-based education, is described to illustrate key ingredients and the program logic model for contact-based education in the Canadian school context. Engaging contact and delivery of recovery message are identified as key ingredients for program success. The logic model including four input components (team building, partnerships with schools, preparation, coordination), six process components (who-program deliverers, what-contents, how-pedagogy, materials, where-place, when-time), and four levels of program outcome (reaction, knowledge, behaviours, social changes) are discussed.