Transcript Combatting Prejudice and

Combating Prejudice and
Discrimination through
PhotoVoice Empowerment:
Results of the Research Project
USPRA Conference 2011, Boston, MA
Cheryl Gagne, Sc.D., Zlatka Russinova, Ph.D.,
Philippe Bloch, M.Ed.
Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Boston University
Overview of Presentation
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PhotoVoice: Defined
Brief History of PhotoVoice
PhotoVoice Empowerment Class
PhotoVoice Exhibit and Discussion
Presentation of Research Findings
Implementing PhotoVoice
Future Directions of PhotoVoice
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PhotoVoice: Defined
PhotoVoice is a methodology mainly used in the
fields of community development, public health,
and education, which combines photography
with grassroots social action. Participants are
asked to represent their community or point of
view by taking photographs, discussing them
together, developing narratives to go with their
photos, and conducting outreach or other action.
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Brief History of PhotoVoice
• Developed by Caroline Wang at University of
Michigan and Marianne Burris of the Society
of Oriental and African Studies at the
University of London
• Originally called "Photo Novella," was first
used in 1992 as a way to enable rural women
of Yunnan Province, China, to influence the
policies and programs that affected them
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Goals of the PhotoVoice Class
(as outlined in participants’ workbook)
• Learn about the process of PhotoVoice
• Learn about prejudice and discrimination as
experienced by people who have been diagnosed
with mental illnesses
• Document in pictures experiences of prejudice
and discrimination
• Write narratives that educate others
• Learn how people cope with ignorance, prejudice
and discrimination
• Organize presentations of our work
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Structure of PhotoVoice Class
• Instructors are people in recovery
• 2 instructors per class with one teaching while
the other assists students
• Class comprised of 8-16 students
• Presentations, discussions, exercises
• Sharing of photographs
• Writing narratives is a group and individual
process
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Recruitment, Training and Supervision
of Peer Leaders
• Recruited 12 students in the Recovery
Education Center to train as peer leaders for
PhotoVoice class
• Trained in skills of group leadership and
PhotoVoice simultaneously
• Peer leaders demonstrated their acquired
skills
• Live observation of teaching with supervision
and lots of support.
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Implementing PhotoVoice
• Origins of PhotoVoice in mid-90’s, Carolyn
Wang and M.A. Burris’ vision
• “Grassroots” movement, self-replicating
• Peer aspects of our program
• Training issues
• Ease and expense of replicating program
• Bring the message to the people
• On-line forums and opportunities
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Future Directions
• Flexibility of methodology
• Impact and immediacy of work
• Empowerment issues (tied into research
project)
• Opportunity for self-reflection and measured
outward communication
• “External” form of medium, opportunity to
“objectify’ one’s issues
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Poster Presentation
• $3000 grant from Josef and Anni Albers
Foundation
• Partnering with Colortek Lab of Boston
• Series of posters, eight per set (see display)
• Initial run produced non-commercially,
following sets produced commercially
• Opportunity to produce and present a
“finished” PhotoVoice work to stakeholders
and the community. Fliers, info to purchase.
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Research Study: Design
• Conducted a small randomized pilot study to test the
efficacy of the PhotoVoice curriculum.
• Eighty-two individuals were randomized to either
participate in a PhotoVoice class or to a waitlist control
group.
• All study participants completed assessments at baseline,
10 weeks later at the end of the intervention, and at a 3month post-intervention follow-up.
• Ran a total of four PhotoVoice classes delivered in 3
waves.
• Trained peers led all PhotoVoice classes.
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Research Study: Sample
Study participants were:
- Average age = 47 (range of 21 to 71 years)
- 68% female
- 68% were Caucasian
- 32% had high school education; 24% - post-high school
education, and 44% - Bachelor’s degree or above
- 16% were working at the time of the study
- 20% reported having a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum
disorder; 38% - bipolar disorder; 35% - depressive disorder,
and the remaining 7% had other diagnoses.
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Research Study: Outcome Variables
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Stigma awareness and advocacy
Coping with stigma
Internalized stigma
Overall recovery and growth
Empowerment
Self-efficacy
Depression
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Research Study: Findings
• The pilot study demonstrated that the PhotoVoice curriculum
was effective in increasing participants’ capacity to address
the prejudice and discrimination surrounding mental illness.
• Participants in the PhotoVoice class were more likely to use
strategies that educate others about mental illness and were
also more likely to challenge those who manifest prejudicial
attitudes and behaviors.
• Younger participants were more likely to try to educate others
about mental illness or to challenge prejudicial attitudes and
behaviors.
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Exercise: Directions
1. Walk around the room and look at the eight
works by students in the PhotoVoice class
2. Pay attention to your reaction to the exhibit
3. Think about mental health programs and the
people who participate in these programs
4. Think about what their responses might be to
this exhibit
5. Return to your seat when you have finished
looking and read the questions on the next slide
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Questions
• How would you use this exhibit to increase
peoples’ awareness of prejudice and
discrimination as experienced by people who
have been diagnosed with mental illnesses?
• How might you use this exhibit to generate
discussions of peoples’ experiences of
prejudice and discrimination?
• What are some reactions you would
anticipate?
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The Credits
This project was funded by Rehabilitation
Research and Training Center Grant
H133B040026-008 from the National Institute
on Disability and Rehabilitation Research within
the Department of Education, and the Center for
Mental Health Services, a division of the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration
And thanks to Sasha Bowers
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Stay in Touch
Slides are available at:
Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Boston University
940 Commonwealth Avenue West
Boston, MA 02215
617-353-3549
www.bu.edu/cpr
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