The Reduction of Public and Internalized Stigma in Late-Life Depression: A Pilot Study

Innovative strategies are needed to reduce the impact of stigma as a barrier to mental health services for older adults living with a mental illness. The purpose of this brief report was to examine the impact of a 3-month peer educator (PE) intervention on stigma reduction in a sample of depressed older adults. PEs are individuals of similar age, and racial and socioeconomic backgrounds who have been previously treated for depression, and are trained to provide support and education to depressed individuals within their community. Participants (N = 21) aged 60 and older completed a demographic questionnaire, public stigma, and internalized stigma measures pre- and post-PE intervention. The results of paired samples t tests indicated that the use of PEs significantly reduced both public and internalized stigma among depressed older adults. PEs may be an effective strategy toward alleviating stigma and increasing mental health service utilization among older adults with depression.