Student filmmakers' attitudes towards mental illness and its cinematic representation - an evaluation of a training intervention for film students.
BACKGROUND
Government strategy for mental health places tackling stigma as a main priority. National initiatives have attempted to tackle stigma by challenging negative media reporting and the use of stereotyped representations of mental illness, with mixed results. Educational interventions have attempted to address stigmatising attitudes in young people but no studies have explored the value of such interventions for film students.


OBJECTIVE
The study aimed to assess the value of a lecture-based training intervention designed to improve the knowledge and attitudes of student filmmakers towards mental illness and its cinematic representation.


METHODS
A self-report questionnaire was administered before and after the intervention, which measured the knowledge and attitudes of the subjects.


RESULTS
32 out of 54 students (59.3%) showed statistically significant improvement in attitudes and knowledge overall, although this was less marked in responses to the attitudinal subset questions compared with knowledge-based questions. Feedback was positive.


CONCLUSIONS
The training session was successful in its aims for most but not all students. The intervention is reproducible but further work needs to be done to clarify how best to influence attitudes and behaviour as well as knowledge.
Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, Studdert Kennedy House , Spring Gardens, Worcester, WR1 2AE , United Kingdom .
Jenny
J
Dale
Felicity
F
Richards
John
J
Bradburn
George
G
Tadros
Rafik
R
Salama
D001290:Attitude; D004493:Education; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D009040:Motion Pictures; D057566:Self Report; D057545:Social Stigma; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires