Television images of mental illness: Results of a metropolitan Washington media watch | Synapse
March 1, 1982
Television images of mental illness: Results of a metropolitan Washington media watch
Key Points
The aim is to evaluate how mental illness is represented in prime-time television shows.
Analyzed prime-time television programs for content related to mental illness
Conducted a media watch in metropolitan Washington area
Assessed prevalence of negative stereotypes in the portrayal of mentally ill individuals.
One third of analyzed prime-time programs included information about mental illness
Prevalent negative stereotyping of mentally ill persons found across the majority of shows.
Abstract
One third of prime‐time television programs involved information about mental illness. Negative stereotyping of mentally ill persons was found to be prevalent in these programs.