Abstract
BACKGROUND: Stigma surrounding psychiatric disorders persists among medical students, who represent the future of healthcare provision. The reluctance of these students to engage with patients with psychiatric conditions poses challenges in delivering appropriate healthcare services. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an educational package on reducing stigma and altering attitudes toward patients with mental illnesses among medical students. METHODS: This interventional and quasi-experimental study enrolled medical students who entered in a 4-week clinical post in psychiatry wards from September 2021 to February 2022. Each group of students was randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. All students in the two groups underwent practical training in psychiatry wards. An anti-stigma educational package was provided for the students in the intervention group. This package consisted of three components, including a one-hour virtual training session titled "Stigma, its importance, and coping strategies", watching three short documentary films on the experiences of successfully treated patients with mental illness, and writing a reflection after a face-to-face interview with a hospitalized patient. The Attitudes Toward Mental Illness (ATMI) questionnaire was used to evaluate the attitudes of all students at the end of the rotation. Additionally, content analysis was performed on the reflection writings of the intervention group. RESULTS: The intervention group (n = 142) and control group (n = 92) showed slight changes in ATMI. The effect sizes were small. Both the intervention and control groups demonstrated significant improvements in attitudes toward the treatment of mental illness. Content analysis of reflection writings highlighted increased awareness, empathy, and medical students' need for more educational content on the significance of stigma and how to address it. CONCLUSIONS: The educational intervention did not significantly impact medical students' attitudes toward patients with psychiatric disorders; however, the standard clinical training and exposure to psychiatric patients may be sufficient to enhance students' perspectives on the treatability of mental illness. Writing a reflection regarding face-to-face exposure with a patient with mental illness may increase awareness and empathy in medical students. Further investigation is needed to assess the long-term effects of reflection on medical students' behavior.