HOAX Our Right to Hope: A Cross-Media project to Tackle Stigma in Mental Health

Ziggy’s Wish together with the Psychosis Research Unit (Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust) are delivering HOAX Our Right to Hope (www.hoaxorth.com), a trilogy of touring artworks (narrative app, stage... [ view full abstract ]

Ziggy’s Wish together with the Psychosis Research Unit (Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust) are delivering HOAX Our Right to Hope (www.hoaxorth.com), a trilogy of touring artworks (narrative app, stage musical, graphic novel) with an embedded mental health research study; primarily funded by Arts Council England and approved by Research Ethics Committee and Health Research Authority.

HOAX tells the true story of Rob, who lived with a diagnosis Schizophrenia, from when he first starts to experience psychosis through to his death. The research study is an opportunistic evaluation of the artworks via the narrative app; utilising digital modality to assess the acceptability and effectiveness of HOAX as an intervention to raise awareness of and reduce stigma surrounding psychosis, promote empathy, and foster empowerment.

The study aims to recruit 2500 participants throughout HOAX which tours Spring 2017. In order to successfully capture data on the impacts of the artworks, the app will collect self-report data before and after attendance of the musical, after reading the graphic novel (a copy of which goes to every participant), and three months later at follow-up. The app also provides additional narrative to explore recovery and NICE-recommended interventions for individuals living with psychosis. It is hoped this additional narrative will encourage engagement and therefore increase the number of individuals who complete pre-post outcome measures.

The primary outcome measure for individuals with lived experience of mental health is the Brief Version of the Internalised Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI, 2014), to evaluate the impact of HOAX upon increasing stigma resistance and reducing internalised stigma. The primary outcome measure for the general public is the Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale (RIBS, 2011) to assess individuals’ behavioural intentions towards individuals who experience psychosis, before and after exposure to HOAX.