Author:
Kim Il Bin,Choi Joonho,Park Seon-Cheol,Koike Shinsuke,Kwon Jun Soo,Kim Eunkyung,Choi Hyo Sun,Lee Ju Yeon,Lee Yu Sang
Abstract
Abstract
Background
In 2011, Korean Neuropsychiatric Association renamed schizophrenia from ‘mind split disorder’ (‘Jungshinbunyeolbyung’ in Korean) to ‘attunement disorder’ (‘Johyeonbyung’ in Korean), in a strategic way to reduce social stigma toward people with schizophrenia. However, there remains an elusive consensus that how the renaming effort has contributed to changes in the social perception of schizophrenia in Korea.
Methods
With this regard, we explored whether media frames alter the social perception, in ways of respecting or disrespecting schizophrenia patients before and after the renaming. This study extensively investigated media keywords related to schizophrenia across the time by applying both language and epidemiologic analyses.
Results
In results, the media keywords have been negatively described for schizophrenia patients both before and after the renaming. Further, from an analysis using the regression model, a significant correlation was observed between the frequency of negative keywords and the hospitalization frequency of schizophrenia patients.
Conclusions
These findings suggest that the social perception of schizophrenia has been scarcely changed, but rather remained negatively biased against schizophrenia patients, in spite of the renaming effort. Notably, the biased media frames have been demonstrated to negatively impact on the social perception, and even on the medical use patterns of general schizophrenia patients. In conclusion, we suggest that the unbiased media frames along with the renaming effort may collectively help reduce the negative social perception of schizophrenia.
Trial registration
This study was approved from the Institute of Review Board (IRB) of the Yoing-In Mental Hospital (IRB No. YIMH-IRB-2019-02).
Funder
Korean Neuropsychiatric Association
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Psychiatry and Mental health