title: Effects of short-term interventions to reduce mental health-related stigma in university or college students: a systematic review.
abstract: Although there are many interventions to reduce mental health-related stigma in university or college students, their overall effect is unknown. This article systematically reviews intervention studies and aims to identify the effective approaches. We searched 11 bibliographic databases, Google, Web sites of relevant associations, and reference lists and contacted specialists. A total of 35 studies (N = 4257) of a wide range of interventions met the inclusion criteria. Social contact or video-based social contact interventions seemed to be the most effective in improving attitudes and reducing desire for social distance. Evidence from one study suggests that a lecture that provided treatment information may enhance students' attitudes toward the use of services. However, methodological weaknesses in many studies were also found. There was a lack of evidence for interventions in medical students, for long-term effects of interventions, or for having a positive impact on actual behaviors. Further research having more rigorous methods is needed to confirm this.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan. sosei.yama@ncnp.go.jp
authors.forename: Sosei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Shu-I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Milly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.forename: Madinah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yate
authors.forename: Yuta
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Barley
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thornicroft
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D013240:Stereotyping; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities