Veterans’ Exposure to News Portrayals of Military-Related Posttraumatic Stress and Support for Government Health Interventions: Influences of Stigma and Halo Communication

Abstract

This study interrogates the nature by which media perpetuates and potentially preempts stigma about military-related posttraumatic stress. Indeed, addressing the stigma of mental illness is critical to facilitating veteran comfort in seeking needed mental health care. Therefore, the authors explored how media messages about veterans experiencing posttraumatic stress (PTS) influenced how veterans viewed themselves, other veterans experiencing PTS and overall support for government policy and intervention. An experimental design was used to assess how veterans’ perceptions are affected by messages adhering to the principles of the model of stigma communication, as well as its more prosocial counterpart, what the authors coin as halo communication. Findings reveal evidence that stigma messages more potently influence outcome perceptions relative to comparable halo messages in the current context. Additionally, interactive effects of message exposure (i.e. conditioned by perceived association with PTS identity) were observed on views that government health intervention is warranted for veterans managing PTS. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.