A pressing concern in contemporary society involves the need to improve perceptions towards the stigmatised, such as individuals living with mental health conditions. In consideration of the vital importance of various governmental interventions initiated to alleviate mental health stigma, the present study examines two design features of narratives traditionally thought to influence the effectiveness of imparting positive attitudes – the framing of narrative perspective and communication modality of the narrative. 80 youths in Singapore, aged 18-21 years old, were recruited for the experiment, which entailed viewing a mental health narrative about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Thereafter, participants completed a survey assessing their affective, behavioural, and cognitive attitudes towards individuals living with ADHD. Two-way randomised ANOVA analyses revealed that while the presentation of narratives did not influence attitudinal changes, narratives communicated through audio-visual modality, compared to print, were significantly more effective in enhancing mental health knowledge. Exploratory correlational findings suggest that narratives may facilitate various affective and cognitive processes associated with positive behavioural-based attitudinal changes. Overall, findings from this study highlight the potential efficacy of employing empathy-inducing narratives, as opposed to didactic narratives, to developmentally cultivate positive perceptions towards individuals living with mental health conditions.
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