Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Winning arts and minds
- Author:
- KNIFTON Lee
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Today, October 2008, pp.34-35.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
The author, festival director, describes how the Annual Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival evolved and how it creates a more positive image of mental illness.
The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival - promoting social change through the arts
- Authors:
- CLARKE Pamela, KNIFTON Lee
- Journal article citation:
- A Life in the Day, 13(3), August 2009, pp.10-13.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Now in its third year, The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival is fast becoming a significant cultural annual event, which aims to achieve social change through the arts. Through innovative programming of arts events, the Festival explores the relationship between mental health and creativity, celebrates the artistic achievements of people with experience of mental health issues, and promotes positive mental health and well-being. It aims to promote the rights and recovery of people who experience mental ill health, while exploring mental health and inequalities that affect us all. The multi-arts Festival focuses on audiences' existing interests in film, theatre, comedy, music, literature and visual arts to tackle stigma and engage people.
Media, mental health and discrimination: a frame of reference for understanding reporting trends
- Authors:
- KNIFTON Lee, QUINN Neil
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 10(1), February 2008, pp.23-31.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Mental health-related stigma and discrimination are significant public health issues. Media reports can both reflect and influence public attitudes. This article develops a frame of reference that identifies a range of themes that can be used to capture a representative picture of trends in the range and balance of reporting different mental health problems. The frame of reference was applied to assess trends in schizophrenia reports in the broadsheet media in Scotland, between 2001 and 2005, to coincide with See Me, a national anti-stigma media campaign. It is suggested that a national media campaign can succeed in breaking the perceived link between schizophrenia and dangerousness. However, campaigns should give more emphasis to the range of subtle, negative reporting.
Workplace interventions can reduce stigma
- Authors:
- KNIFTON Lee, WALKER Alice, QUINN Neil
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Public Mental Health, 7(4), December 2009, pp.40-50.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Stigma and discrimination towards people with mental health problems is a global issue, imposing a considerable public health burden in terms of social isolation, limited life chances, delayed help-seeking behaviour and stress. While numerous initiatives have been undertaken to address these issues, an evidence base for what works is still emerging. This paper explores the impact of 15 population-level awareness workshops delivered over a five-month period to 137 participants. These were employees drawn from workplaces identified as being important in the day-to-day lives of people with mental health problems. Evaluation approaches maximised specificity, sensitivity and anonymity and they assessed participant knowledge, attitude and behaviour. The workshops significantly improved participant knowledge. Attitude change was more complex with an overall significant improvement in attitudes, particularly in relation to unpredictability and recovery, but not dangerousness, which had more positive baseline attitudes. Social distance, a proxy for behavioural intent, had significant improvements in relation to ‘moderate’ social contact only. Qualitative feedback indicated that complex, unanticipated and positive messages had been absorbed by participants and influenced beliefs and behavioural intent. Service user narratives focusing on recovery were identified as the most valuable component of the intervention.
Promoting recovery and addressing stigma: mental health awareness through community development in low-income area
- Authors:
- QUINN Neil, KNIFTON Lee
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 7(4), November 2005, pp.36-44.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This article outlines the development of an anti-stigma programme operating in Scotland and presents key findings from the evaluation. The innovative model, which promotes recovery and addresses stigma, draws on a broad coalition of community support, and enable service users to lead its design and delivery. It is argued that local initiatives, when complemented by a national programme, can achieve a positive additional impact on attitudes and behaviours; that multiple and flexible approaches are needed for different target groups; that the personal narrative about recovery has a particularly strong impact on participants; and that it may be desirable to tackle stigma in the context of addressing positive mental health. Refinements to the model are discussed.