How to improve attitudes towards dementia? Reframing as a tool to overcome the stigma around Alzheimer's disease

This article aims to determine how Alzheimer's disease (AD) framing impacts on attitudes and self-reported emotions towards the disease.

We designed posters with framed messages based on the person with AD: Dualism of body and mind, Unity of body and mind, and control (Study 1, N = 261) and based on the relationship person with AD-family: No reciprocation, Good Mother, and control (Study 2, N = 240). To analyse the effect of the different frames, attitudes towards AD were measured twice (before and after the posters display). Emotions emerging from this exposure were also recorded.

Data analysis yielded four significant findings regarding communication on AD: (1) deproblematizing frames (i.e., Unity of body and mind and Good Mother) lead to a positive attitude change; (2) Non reciprocation frame reduces positive attitudes; (3) problematizing frames (i.e., Dualism body and mind and Non reciprocation) trigger negative emotions; (4) deproblematizing frames induce higher positive feelings, which increase positive attitudes.

Negative representations about AD reinforce the negative attitudes towards it. Reframing AD is essential to achieve a positive attitudinal change.

The use of deproblematizing frames (i.e., Unity of body and mind or Good Mother) should be considered when developing and implementing policies targeted at communication and awareness of AD to reduce the stigma associated with this disease.