Suna Özgür KARAALAN, Diğdem GÖVERTİ, Hanife YILMAZ ABAYLI, Melek KOKEN, Sabriye Tuğçe FİDANGÜL AKDENİZ, Aslıhan POLAT
Klinik Psikiyatri Dergisi - 2026;29(3):191-198
Objective: Social stigma toward schizophrenia is often perpetuated by inaccurate media portrayals. This study investigates how evidence-based psychoeducation influences the attitudes of graphic design students-future visual communicators-and how this knowledge shifts their creative output. Method: Eighty graphic design students in Turkey participated in a 60-minute structured psychoeducation session led by psychiatrists. Participants created awareness posters before and after the intervention. Changes were measured using the Social Distance Scale (SDS), Survey on Knowledge about Schizophrenia, and Belief toward Mental Illness Scale (BMI). Qualitative shifts in visual metaphors and storytelling were also analyzed. Results: Post-intervention, both SDS and BMI scores decreased significantly (p < 0.05), indicating reduced stigma. While 85% of participants consistently supported professional medical help, the perception of schizophrenia as a purely social issue dropped from 23% to 20%. Critically, while technical design elements (color, typography) remained statistically constant, there was a significant evolution in narrative language, characterized by nuanced metaphors and sophisticated conceptual framing. Discussion: Psychoeducation effectively improves theoretical knowledge and corrects misconceptions, though altering deeply rooted behavioral social distance remains a challenge. The intervention primarily influenced "conceptual depth" and "empathy-driven storytelling" rather than aesthetic choices, suggesting that education refines how designers think about a subject. Integrating psychoeducation into design curricula fosters less-stigmatizing representations of mental illness. This interdisciplinary approach is vital for refining the visual metaphors used by communicators to reshape public perception.
