Using Technology to Fight Stigma

Abstract

AbstractAnti-stigma advocates have made good use of “older” technologies such as television, movies, radio, theater, and printed materials, to name a few. Newer digital technologies are increasingly viewed as a panacea for mental health promotion and stigma reduction. Not only can they reach vast audiences, but they are also cost-effective, relatively easy to produce, and feasible to implement in today’s technological age. Interventions specifically focusing on stigma reduction are relatively new and largely untested. Theories of change explaining why certain interventions might reduce stigma are lacking and the extant literature is relatively silent on evidence-informed approaches. Because the field is so new, with few intervention studies, technology should be viewed as an emerging practice that still requires evidence. This chapter reviews some examples of the approaches that are experimenting with technologies to reduce stigma and promote prosocial behaviors.