Lars Hansson|Urban Markström
The effectiveness of an anti-stigma intervention in a basic police officer training programme: a controlled study
Lund University|Umeå University
stigma discrimination still prominent features life situation persons mental illness adding burden illness causing lowered selfesteem quality life affecting possibilities adequate housing work also major barrier help seeking deinstitutionalization mental health services led significant increase contacts police persons mental illness argued police officers provided education training enable interact adaptively good outcomes people mental illness present study investigating effectiveness antistigma intervention basic police officer training programme university sweden study performed controlled prepost intervention study using comparison group 6month followup intervention group attitudes mental health literacy intentional behaviour assessed main analyses made intention treat basis using repeated measures anova total 120 participants basic police officer training programme included time group analyses showed improvements intervention group overall score attitudes regarding subscale open minded pro integration intentional behaviour willingness work 4 6 items assessing mental health literacy 6month followup intervention group compared baseline improved attitudes overall score two subscales intentional behaviour also improved terms increased willingness live work person mental health problems mental health literacy improved 3 6 items antistigma intervention proved effective changing attitudes mental health literacy intentional behaviour improvements mainly endured 6month followup intervention seems promising facilitating encounters police persons mental illness studies needed disentangle relative effectiveness components intervention implementation