Effects of Internet-based Storytelling Programs in Reducing Mental Illness Stigma With Mediation by Interactivity and Stigma Content

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Status: Completed

Conditions: INTERACT Condition; STIGMA Condition; CONTROL Condition; COMBO Condition

Treatments: Behavioral: Internet-based storytelling programs with interactivity only; Behavioral: Internet-based storytelling programs with no interactivity and no stigma content; Behavioral: Internet-based storytelling programs with interactivity and stigma content; Behavioral: Internet-based storytelling programs with stigma content only

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05333848

dre20024

Details and patient eligibility

About

Mental illness stigma has been a concerning issue globally due to its adverse effects on the recovery of people with mental illness and may delay help-seeking for mental health out of the concern of being stigmatized. With technological advancement, Internet-based mental health stigma reduction interventions have been developed to combat mental illness stigma and the effects have been promising.

The present study aimed to examine the differential effects of Internet-based storytelling programs varied on level of interactivity and stigma content in reducing mental illness stigma.

In the present study, the investigator hypothesized that an Internet-based storytelling program with a combination of interactivity and stigma content would lead to the most significant reduction in public stigma, microaggression, and social distance from people with mental illnesses, followed by Internet-based storytelling program with stigma content-only and interactivity-only, compared with control. Secondly, the investigator hypothesized that the effects observed in stigma reduction would be mediated by perceived autonomy and immersiveness due to the presence of interactivity.

Enrollment: 263 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• aged 18 years or above
• able to read and understand Chinese

Exclusion criteria

• less than 18 years of age
• unable to read or understand Chinese

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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263 participants in 4 patient groups, including a placebo group

COMBO condition

Experimental group

Description:

An interactive stigma content website.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Internet-based storytelling programs with interactivity and stigma content

STIGMA condition

Experimental group

Description:

A non-interactive stigma content website.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Internet-based storytelling programs with stigma content only

INTERACT condition

Experimental group

Description:

An interactive non-stigma content website.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Internet-based storytelling programs with interactivity only

CONTROL condition

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

A non-interactive non-stigma content website.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Internet-based storytelling programs with no interactivity and no stigma content