Where's Tyler?: A Video Intervention to Destigmatize and Promote Student Utilization of On-Campus Mental Health Services

Theoretical Background and research questions/hypothesis:Study uses the entertainment-education (EE) communication strategy defined as: the process of purposely designing and implementing a media message to both entertain and educate, in order to increase audience members’ knowledge about an educational issue, create favorable attitudes, shift social norms and change overt behavior. Theoretical Framework incorporates Uses & Gratification Theory, Social Learning Theory, Lewinian Theory and the Transtheoretical Model. Hypothesis: College students who were shown the EE video would have higher levels of  knowledge, more positive attitudes, and behavioral intention changes in regard to accessing mental health services compared to students who were given a brochure to read.

Methods:  A quasi-experimental study was done with 398 college students using a pretest and posttest.  A paired samples t test was conducted to determine whether student attitudes toward mental health and mental health services became more positive as a result of watching the “Where’s Tyler?” EE video than as a result of looking at a brochure about mental health services.  On average student attitude scores after watching the video (M = 3.99, SD = .46) were higher than after reading the brochure (M = 3.86, SD = .46), t(398) = -7.29, p < .001.  Additionally student knowledge was assessed.  Student knowledge scores after watching the video (M = 1.88, SD = .19) were higher than after reading the brochure (M = 1.81, SD = .19), t(398) = -7.65, p < .001.  Finally, student knowledge of accessibility of the on-campus counseling center’s services was measured.  After watching the video (M = 3.76, SD = .39) students indicated they knew about the center's accessibility than what they reported after reading the brochure (M = 3.31, SD = .39), t(398) = -9.98, p < .001.

Results:The intervention (video) group had significantly stronger outcomes than the comparison (brochure) group for levels of knowledge, more positive attitudes and accessibility of mental health services.

Conclusions:These findings suggest that increased knowledge, more positive attitudes and understanding of accessible mental health services may reduce barriers to understanding mental health issues and seeking available  services.

Implications for research and/or practice: Data from key 2010 health-related surveys indicate college students need help in balancing academic, economic and social demands.  Data from Health Minds 2010 Survey show  30% of college students report moderate to major depression, while  27 % report some type of anxiety. The author suggests the results from this study were strong enough to merit further study in the use of the EE communication strategy to address stigmatism and other barriers to college students seeking help for mental health issues.