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Inaccurate Portrayals of Mental Illnesses in Horror Films and Teenager Perception

AP Research 2022

Word count: 4,743

INACCURATE PORTRAYALS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES 2

Inaccurate Portrayals of Mental Illnesses in Horror Films and Teenage Perception

Literature Review

Introduction

The American Psychiatric Association defines mental illness as a:

mental, behavioral or emotional disorder (excluding developmental and substance use

disorders) resulting in serious functional impairment, which substantially interferes with

or limits one or more major life activities...nearly one in five (19 percent) U.S. adults

experience some form of mental illness. (Parekh, 2018)

Historically, mental illnesses have been a common topic in several kinds of media, including

magazines, newspapers, television, and movies; these portrayals have been largely inaccurate

according to expert opinion, especially in depicting more severe psychological disorders (Wahl,

1992, pp. 344-345). Horror films especially have been known for negatively portraying mental

illnesses, often incorporating the stereotype that mental health issues equate to violent behavior.

The horror genre has remained popular since its beginnings, and its common motifs of

psychological disorders and mental health care facilities contribute to the stigma surrounding

these issues (Goodwin, 2014, p. 224). Modern horror continues trends of sensationalism of

mental illness, which promotes the idea that people with mental illnesses are dangerous. The

literature expresses concerns that the narrative that the mentally ill are dangerous is overused,

inaccurate, and damaging towards the large population of individuals who experience mental

illnesses.

Wahl (1992), clinical psychologist and professor of psychology, showed that many

people get their information about certain illnesses and symptoms from horror movies because of

the lack of representation of them elsewhere. Spreading the idea that people with mental

disorders should be feared makes experiences of those with mental illnesses harder to navigate
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and help harder to receive because they become afraid of facing discrimination when seeking

assistance. Wahl argues that media can change the audience’s opinions, even when its purpose is

not to educate, but to entertain; forms of entertainment, including horror films, can influence

attitudes about mental illness (Wahl, 1992, pp. 247-348).

Mental Illness Stigma

Researcher Lesley Henderson of Brunel University London defines mental health stigma

as “attitudes, prejudice and behaviour as well as misconceptions of the danger that people in

mental distress represent to others” (2018, p. 107). People with mental illnesses are viewed as

deviant from the rest of society and are cast out, possibly even by their own family and friends.

Symptoms, especially those of less common mental illnesses like schizophrenia and obsessive

compulsive disorder, are socially labeled as different, creating a social distance around such

people. Henderson emphasizes how discrimination can lead individuals exhibiting symptoms to

avoid social distance and stigma by ignoring their symptoms and not receiving proper diagnoses

and care. As a result, many people with mental health issues do not improve their conditions and

experience declining health.

Furthermore, individuals are seen as dangerous due to their deviance from the norm.

Reavley, N. J. et al. cite the World Health Organization’s definition of mental health stigma as

“‘a mark of shame, disgrace or disapproval which results in an individual being rejected,

discriminated against, and excluded from participating in a number of different areas of

society’’’ (2016, p. 1257). This definition includes shame as being associated with stigma, as

well as difficulty navigating social life, work, etc.; all of which could exacerbate mental illnesses

by increasing feelings of loneliness and otherness. Goepfert et al. (2019) suggest that stigma can
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cause self-stigmatization, or the internalization of negative beliefs and stereotypes, which may

increase self-harm behaviors and put individuals at serious risk.

Influence of Media on Stigma

Media includes “means of communication, as radio and television, newspapers,

magazines, and the internet, that reach or influence people widely” (“Media Definition and

Meaning,” 2018). An increase of access to communications, especially the internet, creates an

increased influence of mass media on opinions, ideas, and biases. Kimmerle and Cress (2013)

from the Journal of Community Psychology conducted a study in which they examined the

effects of mental disorder portrayals in media on knowledge and attitudes towards mental

illnesses. Their review of the literature found that television and other media, especially fiction,

influences consumers’ perceptions and knowledge on various topics. The results of the authors’

study were that individuals who consumed more television tended to have less knowledge about

less common mental illnesses (schizophrenia and OCD). Less knowledge also correlated with

less favorable attitudes towards such illnesses. They found that increased learning about a

disorder influenced emotional reactions; more knowledge tended to correlate with less negative

reactions. The findings suggest that media fills in gaps of consumer knowledge and, therefore,

inaccurate and negative portrayals (which are common) can lead to negative opinions.

Furthermore, researchers Reavley et al.’s study found that recent exposure to media reports on

mental illnesses was associated with a higher belief in the dangerousness of people with mental

disorders, especially less common ones like schizophrenia. Firsthand experiences and contact

with people with mental disorders as well as higher education levels were associated with less

belief in dangerousness, suggesting that negative perceptions and fear resulted from media and

not real experiences. The authors believe increased contact with patients could be a possible anti-
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stigma strategy. A more common disorder, major depressive disorder, was also included in the

study; however, participants did not respond as negatively in their beliefs and emotional

connotations. The results suggest that media plays a larger role in influencing views on lower-

prevalence disorders as it is more likely they have gained knowledge about common disorders

from other sources, but more research is necessary.

Mental Illness in the Horror Genre

According to Cinema Arts graduate Jonathan Scott:

Horror is a genre of storytelling intended to scare, shock, and thrill its audience. Horror

can be interpreted in many different ways, but there is often a central villain, monster, or

threat that is often a reflection of the fears being experienced by society at the time. This

person or creature is called the ‘other,’ a term that refers to someone that is feared

because they are different or misunderstood. (2020)

For the purposes of this paper, modern horror films will be defined as any film released from

1950 to now containing elements of horror outlines by Scott. Anxiety is one of the major aspects

of horror that makes it appealing, “Anthropologist Margaret Mead pointed toward this

fundamental anxiety, one that she believed all human beings shared, an anxiety about where and

how the integrity of self and group was to be found, defined, or understood” (Prince, 2004, p. 2).

Ultimately, horror remains culturally significant because it appeals to the human sense of anxiety

and unites in the fight for survival; its cultural significance means it is bound to reflect

sociocultural ideas and values. Historically, horror films focused on faraway and foreign threats

(like Dracula and Frankenstein), but has moved closer to home, including fears of mental illness

(p. 3-4). Modern horror focuses more on psychological aspects, rather than reflecting fears

caused by distant wars, changing social roles, and unseen diseases as the genre previously
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focused on (p. 2-4). Today, the audience feels closer to the threat, and more susceptible to its

harm. Such threats include the fear of “going crazy” or becoming victim to a seemingly normal

“psychopath.”

A classic example of close threats is Psycho (1960), which tells the story of a soft-

spoken and polite hotel owner, Norman Bates, being overcome by madness and murdering a

young woman. It is soon discovered that the man takes on the personality of his dead mother; a

psychiatrist explains that his personality has been overtaken by the “mother” character, a

characteristic indicative of dissociative identity disorder (DID) or schizophrenia. His mental

illness is used as an explanation for his violent behavior. About this film, Prince (2004),

professor of communication, states:

In that terrible killing in the shower, Hitchcock put horror in the here and now and linked

it with graphic violence. It has stayed there since. As that film ended with the shot of

Norman’s (and Mother’s) grinning face, Hitchcock suggested that madness and chaos

endure because they are not explicable... Monsters today seem to be everywhere, and

they cannot be destroyed. (p. 4)

Madness is equated to monstrosity and is treated as a threat that anyone may become victim to

due to its unpredictable nature. Essentially, any neighbor may become mad and murderous at any

time. 1978 film Halloween follows a similar trend of equating mental illness to violence. In the

iconic slasher film, killer Michael Myers is housed in a mental health facility at a young age after

he murders his older sister. Years later, he escapes the facility and engages in a killing spree. He

is portrayed as emotionless and crazed, a force of evil that is unable to be stopped. Once again,

his behavior is explained by mental illness that began in his early childhood. The film also

capitalizes on the idea that anyone, even an innocent young boy, can become mad and violent.

Even in more recent years, horror continues to utilize negative tropes of mental illnesses.
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Split (2016) is an infamous example in which a man with dissociative identity disorder (DID)

kidnaps three young girls. His alters, or personalities, are played as a dramatic effect. Although

the audience of the film learns more about the disorder through visits with the man’s therapist,

his illness is ultimately used as an explanation for his violence and a device to create uncertainty

and fear. His alters begin to warn the girls of a new personality they refer to as “the Beast”

whose arrival they are preparing for. The man transforms into the Beast, an alter with animalistic

abilities such as climbing walls and great strength, who seeks to kill and consume the three girls

held captive. Only one girl can escape, and the other two are brutally murdered. The man, Kevin,

becomes monstrous and violent as a direct result of his illness, and it is used to explain his

transformation from a normal man suffering with an illness, to a kidnapper and murderer.

Ultimately, the film puts forward the idea that those with DID are especially violent and capable

of kidnapping and murder, giving the illness a negative perception in the eyes of the public that

continues to harm real people with the disorder. Additionally, Joker (2019) also portrays mental

illness in a negative light. Although not usually considered a horror film, Joker has elements of

horror, including a central villain that is different and misunderstood, moments of uneasiness,

fear, anxiety, violence, and gore. The film serves as an origin story for the classic comic book

villain but takes a darker route to the character. It is firmly established that the Joker, Arthur

Fleck, is mistreated by society and has mental health issues. He receives medication and

counseling for his illness, but still has hysterical fits of laughter often, attracting unwanted

attention. Arthur is unable to be taken seriously as a comedian and struggles to make a name for

himself, leading to a growing frustration within him. After an unsuccessful performance, he is

attacked in public transport, and he murders the three men, which seems to give him a newfound

sense of confidence. He soon confronts and kills several individuals who have done him wrong,

developing the alter-ego “Joker.” Arthur embraces his new life of violence and crime as the
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Joker persona. In this film, the character’s mental health is an excuse for his behavior and falsely

assumes that anyone with underlying mental illnesses who is mistreated and misunderstood is

likely to commit violent acts. Although he is not given a specific diagnosis, the film still

contributes to the association of mental disorders with violence that creates a negative stigma.

These films are not the only examples of negative portrayals of mental illness, but their

popularity means that they are some of the most notable and influential in the public conscience.

Teenagers and Horror

Authors Valkenburg & Piotrowski state that “As children move into early adolescence,

they show an increased interest in horror movies, vampires, and high-risk sports, (2017, p. 84).

They theorize that their interest in horror and thrilling content may be because of their brain

development, which causes an increase in neural axon activity; the axons use the

neurotransmitter dopamine, which is heightened by exciting experiences (p. 85). Adolescents

seek risky experiences, which can be simulated by watching frightening content. As a result, the

horror film industry profits off teenagers and often seeks them as a target audience. The subgenre

of youth horror emerged to meet demands, which involves teenage characters and common

struggles of adolescence (Shary, 2014, p. 160-161). Both Halloween (1978) and Split (2017), as

discussed earlier, may fit under this category. Based on the high appeal of horror to teenagers

and the genre’s attempts to appeal to this audience, teenagers are especially exposed to the

harmful stereotypes of mental illnesses perpetrated by horror.

Research Question and Gap

The literature shows that inaccurate portrayals of people with mental illnesses in horror

films increase the stigma surrounding mental health. There is a lack of research studying the
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direct short-term effects of horror movies on the demographic of teenagers’ opinions on mental

illnesses. Teenagers are an important demographic to study because they are especially targeted

by horror films and a lack of literature focuses on this age group. A question to approach this

literature gap is: to what extent do inaccurate portrayals of mental illness in modern Western

horror films influence Arizonan teenagers’ (aged 13-18) perspectives on people with mental

illnesses? I took an exploratory approach to the question and conducted a non-experimental

study with phenomenological design to study the relationship between teenagers’ perspectives of

mental illness and the representation present in horror films. The responses and survey results

will help answer whether inaccurate portrayals affect views of mental illness, filling the research

gap.

Methods

Sampling

My research contains individuals 13-18, which includes minors, a high-risk population. I

wish to look at this population due to convenience, but also because I believe the demographic to

be important to fill a research gap. The only criteria required to participate are age and residence

in Arizona. Individuals that do not reside in Arizona, are not within the required age group, and

do not have English abilities will be excluded from the study. The study and film clips will only

be provided in English to prevent differences in interpretation caused by translation and to make

analysis of responses easier for the researcher. Minors will only be included if they can provide

physical, written parent permission to the researcher. The sample will not be random, but instead

will be chosen by convenience in order to maximize participation. Individuals of different grade

levels were recruited on a high school campus via classroom visits in Arizona and were asked to

fill out a Google form to indicate interest and provide contact information. These respondents
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were contacted via Microsoft Teams to set up and confirm dates for the Zoom meetings in which

data collection would take place.

Instrument

To survey participants, I used The Community Attitudes Toward the Mentally Ill (CAMI;

Dear & Taylor, 1979) survey with some modifications. The survey is split into four sections:

Authoritarianism, Benevolence, Community Mental Health Ideology, and Social Restrictiveness.

For the purposes of this study, I will only be focusing on Benevolence and Social Restrictiveness

because they are the most relevant to my aims of looking for negative versus positive

perspectives. Benevolence measures "a paternalistic, sympathetic view, based on humanistic and

religious principles" (Taylor & Dear, 1981, p. 226) or the level of compassion one has for those

with mental illnesses. Social Restrictiveness was intended to measure the view that people with

mental illness are "a threat to society" (Taylor & Dear, 1981, p. 226). It reflects sentiments

involving the dangerousness of people with mental illness and the need to maintain social

distance from them (Thornton & Wahl, 1996). The Likert-style questions from each section are

split apart in order to prevent response bias. The CAMI questionnaire has been utilized by

numerous researchers and tested for validity, so it is the best instrument for me to use to

accurately judge perspectives. The pre-made questionnaire with categories for analysis of results

will also limit researcher bias by eliminating the need for interpretations of questions.

Procedures

I first gave out the CAMI questionnaire consisting of close-ended questions rated with a

Likert scale to measure the baseline beliefs of my sample. In a follow-up meeting about a week

afterwards, I played clips of certain portrayals of mental illness that are from popular and modern
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Western horror films and have been deemed inaccurate by professionals (Psycho (1960),

Halloween (1978), Split (2017), and Joker (2019)). The study group then retook the same survey.

The difference between the pre- and post-film results was compared to gauge the extent of effect

of the clips. The results are both qualitative and quantitative, as I have data from the Likert-style

survey and free response questions. I asked participants to give an overall explanation for their

answers and viewpoint at the end of the study by answering two open-ended questions which

will assist in limiting assumptions made about the quantitative date. Data collection took place

via two online Zoom meetings in small group settings. The first meeting was about 15 minutes,

while the second took about 40 minutes. Open-ended questions and videos were given during the

second meeting only. No information about the topic was given before the surveys to prevent

possible priming of answers. The responses and results will help answer whether inaccurate

portrayals in the film clips affect views of mental illness in teenagers, filling the research gap.

Ethics

To ensure ethical practices, I ensured confidentiality and anonymity, fully debriefed

participants following the study, and received parent consent for the participation of all minors.

There are no special criteria for my survey other than age and region, so choosing to participate

will not put them at risk of revealing anything unwanted to their peers. However, some of the

questions and film clips may include sensitive material, so provided a content/trigger warning in

consent forms. The clips contain incidents of mental illness portrayed inaccurately, which

contain brief descriptions of violence and are rated PG-13 or R; this may be uncomfortable for

any individuals who have experienced mental illness and/or stigma. I provided all participants

with resources, such as call lines for emergencies, in case the clips I showed were disturbing or

triggering for them. The questions are mostly close ended, which limits the risk of harming the
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participants by decreasing their need to discuss personal issues. Following the study, I provided a

full breakdown on the purpose of the survey, as well as explained what information in the films

was stigmatizing, so that the participants understood what their responses will be used for and

what they mean regarding my study. None of the participants will be judged or made to feel bad

about any of their responses, nor were they asked to share anything they do not feel comfortable

with. Questions may be answered with as little detail as the respondent wishes to share, and they

could opt out at any point.

Analysis

My results were analyzed using statistical analysis for the survey questions. This includes

finding the mean response for each category and conducting a t-test for the pre- and post-means

for each. Means were assessed using the point system described in Table 1.

Table 1

Answer Choice Point Value

Strongly disagree 1
Disagree 2
Neutral/not sure 3
Agree 4
Strongly agree 5

For the open-ended questions, I coded for various influences on their responses (Table 2), as well

as emotions. I also asked for the respondents' beliefs about differences between both

assessments, which was also coded using descriptive coding (Figure 1).

Table 2
INACCURATE PORTRAYALS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES
Descriptive Criteria
Code
Education Respondent reported learning
about mental illness in school
or personal research
Proximity Respondent reported having
family members or peers with
mental illnesses
Self Respondent reported
personally experiencing
mental illness
Family/ Respondent reported being
cultural influenced by one’s family’s
views views and/or views from their
cultural identity
Media Respondent reported being
influenced by various media
portraying mental illness
Other Respondent reported being
disability influenced by experiencing or
being exposed to a disability
other than mental illness
Results
Quantitative Data
13
Example Response
"i also took AP psychology and I am
interested in having a career as a psychiatrist
to help assist those who have mental illness"
"I have family members with mental illnesses
such as schizophrenia, depression, and
anxiety. Close friends have struggled with
mental health"
"In my family I have been the only one to ever
be diagnosed with a mental illness and so
everything I know comes from personal
experience"
"Having mental illness within a hispanic
household is a difficult situation as mental
health is often not taken seriously or is
completely disregarded as your own doings"
"I feel that something that has contributed to
my answers on the survey is how I've seen
mental illnesses being portrayed as something
completely negative with little accuracy as
they are somewhat depicted as something that
can't be overcome"
"I do not personally know of any family
members with mental illnesses, but I do have
family members with disabilities, such as
being deaf...feeling comfortable around them
despite them being deaf, I think it may have
influenced my decisions, such as being closer
to people with mental illness"
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The survey was split into two categories, benevolence and social restrictiveness. Each category

had 10 questions, with half being for and half being against the ideas presented by the category.

On average, pro-benevolence and anti-social restrictiveness questions were responded with

agreement on both the pre- and post-assessment. It was also found that the average response to

anti-benevolence and pro-social restrictiveness questions was disagreement on both assessments.

A t-test analysis showed that no statistically significant difference was present between pre- and

post-assessment for any of the four categories (p>0.05).

Table 3

Category Pre-Assessment Mean Post-Assessment Mean P-Value

Pro-Benevolence 4.36; agree 4.34; agree p > 0.05

Anti-Social 3.60; agree 3.98; agree p > 0.05

Restrictiveness

Anti-Benevolence 1.58; disagree 1.93; disagree p > 0.05

Pro-Social 1.66; disagree 1.74; disagree p > 0.05

Restrictiveness

Qualitative Data

Respondents were asked identify factors that may have influenced their answers and to describe

any change they believed may be present between their responses after the post-assessment

survey. Table 4 displays the analysis of the responses to the first question. It shows the frequency

of descriptive codes for influences and emotional codes in the responses (n=24). Proximity to
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mental illness was coded for in 66.67% of participants. These respondents had a high frequency

of empathy for those with mental illness, with 62.5% being assigned the code understanding,

empathetic, or sympathetic. 33.33% of participants reported personal experience with mental

illness, and 62.5% of those respondents received codes understanding or empathetic. 25%

mentioned the influence of various forms of media on their responses. 50% of individuals

mentioning the media felt sympathy for those with mental illness, and 50% reported feeling

disappointment in media portrayals or current treatment.

Table 4

Influences on Percentage of Frequency of Associated Emotions*

Response Participants
Reported* (n=24)
Education 12.50% n=3
33.33% informed
66.67% understanding/empathetic
33.33% disappointed
Proximity 66.67% n=16
12.50% disappointed
18.75% neutral
6.25% optimistic
62.50% understanding/empathetic/sympathetic
6.25% informed
6.25% ashamed
6.25% fearful

Self 33.33% n=8

25% ashamed
25% disappointed
25% neutral
12.50% optimistic
12.50% informed
62.50% understanding/empathetic
12.50% appreciative
INACCURATE PORTRAYALS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES 16

Family/cultural 25% n=6

views 33.33% neutral
50% understanding/empathetic
16.67% appreciative
33.33% disappointed

Media 25% n=6

16.67% informed
50% understanding/empathetic/sympathetic
50% disappointed
16.67% ashamed
16.67% neutral
16.67% optimistic

Other disability 8.33% n=2

50% comfort
50% neutral
*Some participants reported more than one influence and/or emotion

For question 2, coding was also utilized, which is detailed in figure 1. Respondents were asked to

self-assess whether a change existed between pre- and post-assessment. 45.83% were coded as

yes, and 54.17% coded as no. For the yes responses, descriptive subcodes were given to assess

the reason for the answer. 27.72% believed their response may have changed because of a

different interpretation of the topic or specific questions. 63.64% said that their responses may

have changed because a belief they already held was strengthened. Not all participants stated a

reason for their response. To gauge what beliefs were strengthened, third-order codes were given

to these responses. Out of the seven individuals that stated a previous belief was strengthened,

28.57% said this belief was that change is needed in terms of mental health portrayals and

treatment, 28.57% reported the belief in support for those with mental illnesses, 14.29%

responded with a belief in caution towards mental illnesses strengthened, and 14.29% stated that

their awareness of issues regarding mental illness was strengthened.

INACCURATE PORTRAYALS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES 17

Figure 1

Discussion and Conclusion

Interpretation of Results

The results found that no statistically significant difference existed between pre- and

post-results, suggesting that the negative portrayals of mental illness had minimal influence on

the sample’s views. However, it is worth noting that the sample contained 12.50% of individuals

that reported education in the topic, 66.67% that reported proximity to mental illness, and

33.33% that reported personal experience with mental illness. The individuals that reported

media influence (n=6) did not state that all of their information came from media, but said that

seeing how negative some portrayals could be made them feel more sympathy towards the

community. A few also reported being influenced by educational media, including YouTube

videos from creators with mental illnesses and the social media posts of individuals advocating

for mental health issues. Two respondents stated that having family members with a different
INACCURATE PORTRAYALS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES 18

disability made them more understanding of mental illness. Thus, a majority of the sample

seemed to have significant background knowledge on the issue, which may be why the film clips

did not necessarily change their views. Those that reported a change in responses generally did

not report more negative views, but instead increased sympathy and desire for positive change.

Within the responses, only one individual was coded as having a sense of fear towards those with

mental illness, and only one reported increases caution towards the community after the post-

assessment. In contrast, 14 out of 24 individuals were coded as having an

understanding/empathetic/sympathetic tone, showing that a majority of the sample felt positive

feelings towards the mentally ill after the completion of the study. Furthermore, 4 participants

expressed disappointment in the current treatment of individuals with mental illness.

Comparison to Previous Literature

Based on my literature review, I had expected my results to present a more significant

difference between the two assessments given. However, I did not anticipate such a high

percentage of my sample to report background knowledge of mental illness. Considering the

background of the sample, my results align with the findings of previous studies. For instance,

Kimmerle and Cress (2013) found that more background knowledge usually resulted in less

negative reactions to mental illnesses. Reavley et al. (2016) also indicated that more experience

and education on certain disorders were associated with lower beliefs in dangerousness of mental

illness. Granello et al. (1999) found that source of information was the most significant in

influencing views about mental illness as it was the only variable that had profound effect on

differences in perspectives. People who reported working with or having close experience with

mental disorders were more tolerant than individuals reporting learning about the topic from

media sources (1999).

INACCURATE PORTRAYALS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES 19

Future Suggestions

Based on my results, individuals who have previous knowledge on mental illnesses are

not significantly influenced by negative portrayals in horror, but my sample size of 24 may have

resulted in skewed findings. It is my suggestion that future literature explore the relationship

between experience and positive views by comparing the experimental group to a control with no

previous exposure to mental illness. Knowledge and positive views may have an association, but

this cannot be identified as a relationship unless a control group is used. Furthermore, close

exposure to sufferers of mental illness and educational content may be explored as a possible

solution to combatting negative stigma. The individuals in my study who had reported education

and exposure had high percentages of empathy. Differences in age group may also be explored,

as my study only looked at high-school age individuals. This demographic may be more open to

topics like mental health, and the implications of possible changes in generational trends may be

significant.

Limitations

This study is limited in scope and accuracy. The sample only consisted of 24 individuals

and was non-probability, therefore, the results cannot be generalized to the greater Arizonan

teenage population because it is not representative of its demographics. The results can only

apply to the specific sample, which limits its effects on the literature. Furthermore, the sample

was taken at my high school campus, meaning that individuals with a more favorable opinion of

myself or the topic would be more likely to participate, which may have attracted a certain type

of individual (perhaps those interested in understanding mental illness). Sample bias was

difficult to minimize due to a need for convenience as a high school student. Instrument bias is
INACCURATE PORTRAYALS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES 20

possible as well, although the authors of the survey have sought to limit possible biases through

tests for accuracy and validity. The survey asked participants to self-report their opinions,

meaning that response bias is likely present and could have decreased the accuracy of results.

Respondents may have been inclined to respond in a more socially acceptable manner to avoid

judgement, which I tried to minimize by utilizing confidentiality and anonymity after data

collection. However, they knew that I would personally see their responses. Although the design

attempted to avoid confounding variables, it is difficult to pinpoint any influences that the

participants did not address, as well as the relative importance of influences.

Implications

My findings suggest that individuals with background knowledge of mental illness may

have more understanding and supportive views of people with mental illness and are not

significantly influenced by stigmatizing media in their views. This is at least true for my sample,

in which 12.50% reported education in the topic, 66.67% reported proximity to mental illness,

and 33.33% reported personal experience with mental illness. Thus, a possible solution to ending

the negative stigma for mental illnesses could be providing education on the topic and the

inclusion of first-hand experiences in educational content. Additionally, people tended to report

an increase in the belief that change is needed and an increased feeling of support or

understanding because they saw how damaging some portrayals can be. My sample may have

personally dealt with or seen stigma due to prominent levels of personal experience and

exposure, which was reflected in the clips, causing them to feel a desire to change the status quo

of treatment. Thus, the stigmatizing portrayals of mental illnesses must be prevented because

“the violent depictions are simply more memorable for the viewing public” (Canadian Mental

Health Association Ontario, 2011). Even if my sample’s views were not negatively affected by
INACCURATE PORTRAYALS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES 21

media portrayals, the issue of stigma still remains. One way to reduce the harm caused by mental

health stigma may be to use the media itself as a way to promote positive and accurate

portrayals. Authors Dale, et al. (2014) found success in training student filmmakers on the

importance of preventing stigma and instead ethically portraying mental health; filmmakers

reported more positive views after educational intervention. Chapman, et al. (2017) suggest that

mental health and media professionals work together to prevent stigma. Media must be able to

portray mental health issues with balanced, accurate, and multidimensional views, showing that

individuals can recover and be productive members of society. Doing so will decrease the self-

stigmatization and increased risk of self-harm associated with the continuation of mental health

stigma, especially as different types of media become increasingly important in people’s lives.
INACCURATE PORTRAYALS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES 22

References

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