The Impact of Entertainment Education for Social and Emotional Learning in Elementary Schools

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.