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.