Exploring the effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid training in reducing self-stigma in medical students: Preliminary findings

Introduction/Background<br/>Medical students and doctors often experience high levels of psychological distress and mental health concerns compared to the general population. Despite various prevention and treatment strategies, participation in mental health interventions remains low, largely due to stigma within the medical profession. This stigma manifests as negative attitudes from others (public stigma) and as internalised societal prejudice (self-stigma), both of which can discourage medical professionals and those in training from seeking help.<br/><br/>Although the detrimental effects of stigma on help-seeking are well-documented, targeted interventions to reduce mental health stigma in this group, particularly self-stigma, remain scarce (see Bannatyne et al., 2023, for a review). As self-stigma interventions are being developed, there is an opportunity to examine the effectiveness of existing programs like Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). While not specifically aimed at reducing stigma, MHFA has been shown to reduce public stigma by improving knowledge and attitudes toward mental health. However, its impact on self-stigma is currently unknown. <br/><br/>Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of MHFA in reducing self-stigma among first-year medical students, contributing to the broader effort to promote systemic change and enhance the well-being of doctors and medical students.<br/><br/>Methods<br/>This within-subjects study (pre-intervention vs post-intervention vs follow-up) involved first year medical students at Bond University. Participants completed blended MHFA training as part of their compulsory coursework, led by a Licensed MHFA Instructor. A range of brief, yet comprehensive instruments were administered to consenting participants via Qualtrics at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and follow-up. The primary outcome measures were the Modified Internalised Stigma of Mental Illness Inventory and the Opening Minds Scale for Health Professionals. <br/><br/>Results<br/>Preliminary findings will be presented. <br/><br/>Discussion<br/>Preliminary findings will be presented, with the expectation that MHFA will have a positive impact in reducing self-stigma among first-year medical students.