Effects of an educational intervention to reduce prejudice toward the mentally disabled among high school students

Abstract To assess the efficacy of an educational intervention among high school students aimed at increasing correct knowledge of mental health and reducing prejudice toward the mental disabled. A total 180 high school students (intervention group 99; control group 81) participated in the investigation. The intervention program comprised a 1 hour session about mental health and a 1 hour lesson in which 2 persons suffering from mental illness narrated their experiences. The study design was a pre and post questionnaire survey (after 1 week and after 2-3 months). In the intervention group, the response rates were 98.0% in the pre questionnaire survey, and 88.9% in the post questionnaire survey. In the control group, the response rates 90.1%, and 93.8%, respectively. In the intervention group, means of positive attitude scores (t-test) rose significantly from 40.6 at baseline to 51.1 after 1 week and 47.4 after 2-3 months. In the control group, mean positive attitude scores were 43.1 at baseline and 41.5 after 1 week, and 42.8 after 2 -3 months. After one week of the program, favorable attitudinal changes were observed in the intervention group. However, after 2-3 months, favorable answers were reduced. In contrast, no significant change was observed in the control group. An educational program can produce favorable attitudinal changes regarding the mental disabled. On the other hand, the results suggest that it is difficult to maintain favorable attitudinal changes with this program over time.