Books, Articles and Research
Entry on mental illness is added to AP Stylebook
This press release announces that, as of March 7, 2013, the Associated Press (AP) had added an entry on mental illness to the AP Stylebook to help address how journalists handle questions of mental illness in their coverage. This addition is a significant positive step for public education efforts around mental health that will help reduce negative perceptions and promote social inclusion of people with mental health problems.
Your language matters when writing about mental illness
In this article, the Mental Health Association of Portland describes the impact of language when writing about mental disorders. A bad choice of language to describe a particular mental health problem or individual has the potential to demean, hurt, and perpetuate stereotypes. This article provides guidelines for journalists from disability rights' literature and from individuals with mental disorders on respectful language that helps embrace diversity and dignity.
Mental illness & violence: We need to step up
In this blog post, the author discusses violence in the United States, failures within the country's mental health system, and common stereotypes related to individuals with mental disorders and how these misconceptions feed negative and harmful beliefs about people with mental disorders. These negative and harmful beliefs cause fewer people to seek treatment and even reduce the likelihood of self-disclosure by individuals who have had success in their recovery journeys. The author suggests that self-disclosure from individuals in recovery from mental health issues who are living healthy lives could help with people's exposure to mental health consumers, providing a balance to the violent portrayals of individuals with mental disorders too often presented by the media. He also suggests that self-disclosure could help society, especially individuals in need of treatment, understand that recovery is possible.
Within our reach: Ending the mental health crisis
This book, written by former first lady Rosalynn Carter with Susan Golant and Kathryn Cade, offers an assessment of the current state of mental health. The book focuses on both the progress Mrs. Carter has seen during her 35 years of advocacy and the serious issues that must still be addressed before the mental health system can adequately meet the needs of people with mental health problems.
Evolving definitions of mental illness and wellness
This article stresses the importance of adopting a more integrated view of mental and physical wellness and translating this view into concrete changes to our country's overall care delivery model. The article discusses the positive benefits that can be achieved through implementing linked approaches.
Words used to describe substance-use patients can alter attitudes, contribute to stigma
This article discusses recent research findings about the impact of language on providers' perception of people with alcohol and substance abuse problems.
Current Issues in undergraduate psychiatry education: The findings of a qualitative study
The purpose of this article is to identify the current issues in undergraduate psychiatric education in the United Kingdom for lead teachers at United Kingdom medical schools.
Language and stigma
Editorial letter discussing the paper, "'Difficult Patients in Mental Health Care: A Review." The author points out that the term "difficult patient" can be stigmatizing.
What's in a Name? Terms preferred by service recipients
A large multi-site study examining effectiveness of consumer operated service programs as an adjunct to traditional mental health services. Researchers examined individuals' preferred term describing their status as service recipients.
Effects of an antistigma program on medical students' attitudes toward people with schizophrenia
The purpose of this study was to examine whether an antistigma program which consists of education, contact, and viewing a film that depicts an individual with schizophrenia, can change attitudes towards people with schizophrenia.
The sympathetic discriminator: Mental illness, hedonic costs, and the ADA
Discrimination against people with mental illness occurs in part because of how those with mental illness can make other people feel.Thus, a central basis for discrimination in this context is what I call hedonic costs. Hedonic costs are affective or emotional costs: an influx of negative emotion or loss of positive emotion. In addition, the phenomenon of emotional contagion, which is one source of hedonic costs, makes discrimination against people with mental illness peculiarly intractable.
At issue: Stop the stigma: Call mental illness a brain disease
Educating the public that mental illness is a brain disease is a popular strategy for combating mental illness stigma. Evidence suggests that while such an approach reduces blame for mental illness, it may unintentionally exacerbate other components of stigma, particularly the benevolence and dangerousness of stigmas. Researchers propose a balanced approach that combats the various myths about mental illness with factual information.
Implications of educating the public on mental illness, violence, and stigma
This study examined how two types of public education programs influenced how the public perceived persons with mental illness, their potential for violence, and the stigma of mental illness.