Abstract
Background: Educational Entertainment (EE) is a promising delivery method for Social and Emotional Learning interventions focused on mental illness stigma reduction. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in students’ self-reported empathy and mental illness stigma after participating in an EE intervention about coping with bipolar disorder delivered in a live-play format. Methods: Participants were 121 elementary and middle school students who completed assessment pre and post performance. Results: Findings from this within-subjects evaluation revealed no changes in empathy, but a small, statistically significant improvement in mental illness stigma. EE may be a viable intervention for systematically improving SEL skills on a broader level. Translation to Health Education Practice: This study adds support to the viability of EE as an intervention approach for improving mental illness stigma and Social and Emotional Learning skills for large numbers of elementary-aged students. A AJHE Self-Study quiz is online for this article via the SHAPE America Online Institute (SAOI) http://portal.shapeamerica.org/trn-Webinars.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 299-309 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | American Journal of Health Education |
| Volume | 51 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2 Sept 2020 |
Scopus Subject Areas
- Health(social science)
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
