Effect of a Serious Game (Stigma-Stop) on Reducing Stigma Among Psychology Students: A Controlled Study

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a new serious game focused on reducing stigma toward mental health illness with other traditional procedures utilized in different stigma awareness programs, namely face-to-face contact with mental health patients and talks given by professionals. The Stigma-Stop serious game introduces four characters with various psychological disorders (schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, and agoraphobia) providing users with information about these disorders and pertinent questions. Furthermore, it offers players different ways of reacting when in contact with such individuals. A sample of university psychology students was selected and divided into four groups: (a) students who used Stigma-Stop, (b) direct contact with people suffering from mental health problems, (c) a talk by a professional, and (d) the control group. The results show that the serious game had an effect similar to those of direct contact with mental health patients and the talk by a professional with regard to dangerousness, avoidance, segregation, and anger. The game's results were better in terms of help when compared with the talk, and also diminished the stigma related to coercion when compared with direct contact and the talk.