Portrayals of People with Mental Illnesses in the Mass Media: Context and Their Impacts on Public Cognition

Background and Purpose:

There have been several studies conducted in different countries, particularly developed countries, regarding portrayals of people with mental illnesses in the mass media for decades. Some of them have indicated the relationship between the portrayals and public cognition of mental illness. However, those studies focus on the specific context of one or some countries as a cluster. There is a lack of research on whether those studies share and differentiate their findings of portrayals of people with mental illnesses and their influences on public perception, attitudes, and behaviors toward people suffering from mental illnesses.

This paper contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the similarities and differences in portraying people with mental illnesses in the mass media and the influences of these portrayals on public cognition among developed countries. The findings also help develop strategies which aim to advocate the mass media in the global context in order to reduce stigma and increase social inclusion of people affected by mental disorders.      

Methods:

A systematic review was applied. First, I searched relevant journal articles using different key words, such as mental health, mental illness, portrayal, depiction, media, language, (social) cognition, and so on. Second, I screen found articles based on the following criteria:

(1) Findings focus on portrayals of people with mental illnesses in the mass media or/and their influences on public cognition of mental illness;

(2) Studies review mental illness content on television, movies, or printed newspapers;

(3) Studies focus on the context of developed countries in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand;

(4) Articles were published in English from 1990 to 2014.       

After selecting the journal articles which meet the criteria, I coded these articles with the big themes, including: (1) the prevalence of mental illness in the mass media; (2) portrayals of people with mental illnesses in the mass media; (3) portrayals of people with mental illnesses in the mass media on public’s cognition. I also developed sub-themes in some next rounds of the coding process.  

Results:

Data analysis provides that in developed countries in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, the mass media, particularly television programs, movies, and printed articles, has portrayed people with mental illnesses frequently for decades. Overwhelmingly, the depictions of people with mental disorders are negative with exaggerated stereotypes of abnormality, madness, deviant characteristics, incapability, dependence, and violence. The analyzed publications also point out that these stigmatized portrayals are reflected upon public cognition. Public members have learned and developed an understanding of people with mental illnesses from language and images that the mass media has presented since the childhood.    

Conclusions and Implications:

Results demonstrate great similarities of dominantly negative portrayals of people with mental illnesses in the mass media and their impacts on public cognition among developed countries. Thus, results support an international collaboration regarding media advocacy in order to reduce stigma and enhance social inclusion toward people living with mental disorders.