title: A preliminary study on the attitude of the Japanese public towards creative artwork by people with mental illness.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although researchers have suggested that consumer art can help reduce the stigma of mental illness, there is little evidence of the attitudes of the Japanese public towards such artwork.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 277 Japanese visitors attending an exhibition of visual arts by people with mental illness completed a short questionnaire.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After their visit, approximately 87% of the participants reported being strongly or fairly impressed by the creative art. Word frequency analysis implied generally positive attitudes towards the works.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Japanese public might generally have positive and empathetic attitudes towards artwork by people with mental illness.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Suicide Prevention, National Institute of Mental Health, National Centre of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan. tyama@ncnp.go.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeshima
authors.forename: Eugen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Hisomu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chiba
authors.forename: Ryuji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Anju
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sudo
authors.forename: Sayaka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kikkawa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001154:Art; D003405:Creativity; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D011639:Public Opinion; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult