Research Summaries

Back Framing Effects on Stigma and Help-Seeking

Fiscal Year 2022
Division Research & Sponsored Programs
Department Naval Research Program
Investigator(s) Gibbons, Deborah E.
Aros, Susan K.
Nelson, Alan E.
Sponsor NPS Naval Research Program (Navy)
Summary This study examines stigma and related factors that reduce help-seeking in the Navy across the N17 program enterprise. The intended outcome will be to measure effectiveness of changes in language related to the DoD¿s Integrated Primary Prevention Policy (DoDI 6400.09) and to identify language that encourage help-seeking among Sailors. The research will consider effects of message framing alongside broader influences such as organizational culture and structure, individual differences (e.g., gender, rank, personality) and openness to coaching about life skills. This research plan allows for the possibility that effects of language on stigma and help-seeking may vary among persons and communities within the socio-cultural environment of the Navy.

Research methods include review of current literature, conduct of focus group meetings, and surveys of Naval community members. The literature review will establish known principles about how to encourage help-seeking and support formulation of discussion questions, message frames, and scenarios for further exploration via focus groups. The focus groups will include members of various communities within the Navy, inviting their assessment of current practices and attitudes, and their consideration of alternative approaches to encourage help-seeking. Following analysis of focus group data, the survey will collect quantitative data about attitudes toward help-seeking, socio-cultural factors in the environment that may affect stigma and help-seeking, and individual differences that might impact personal attitudes.

An interim report following the focus group meetings will identify issues that frequently arise, message frames that participants see as positive or negative, and qualitative assessments of alternative ways to discuss help-seeking. The final report will explain results of the surveys and include recommendations to further support help-seeking among Navy personnel.
Keywords Addiction Mental Health help seeking stigma
Publications Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal
Data Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal