Initial Evaluation of Active Minds: A Student Organization Dedicated to Reducing the Stigma of Mental Illness

This study examined whether a new student organization, Active Minds, aimed at increasing awareness of "mental illness" and reducing stigma had an impact on students' stigma and willingness to seek psychological help. Three classes were recruited to become involved in the organization. In a pretest/posttest design, stigma and willingness to seek psychological help were compared between students who became involved in Active Minds and students who did not. Students involved in the organization showed a significant reduction in stigma if they had a history of mental illness in their families. However, willingness to seek psychological help was unaffected. The program's partial success is viewed in terms of empowerment and recovery. The peer support provided through Active Minds may help change people's negative attitudes about mental illness and encourage students to help one another in coping with their diagnoses. KEYWORDS: Active Mindsevaluationmental illnessrecoverystigma This evaluation was completed while I was affiliated with the School of Social Work, Colorado State University. I thank all the Active Minds members for their incredible passion and perseverance to make the student organization a reality at Colorado State University, especially Becca Frazee and Diane Phebus. I also thank the staff at Colorado State University Counseling Center for allowing me the opportunity to work collaboratively with them in completing the project, and I thank the faculty at Colorado State University that assisted me in developing the ideas for the evaluation. These faculty members include Eleanor Downey, Bruce Hall, Kimberly Bundy-Fazioli, Gerald Callahan, and Deborah Valentine.