A MULTIMEDIA PROGRAM TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT MENTAL AND ADDICTIVEDISORDERS

The Mental Health Studios is an interactive multimedia program designe d to educate the public about the biological basis of mental and addic tive disorders. Using sound, text, graphics, charts, and video, the so ftware provides detailed scientific information about the brain and de pression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and subs tance abuse. An evaluation study of a permanent display at the St. Lou is Science Center revealed that most visitors spent less than 5 min wi th the computer program but nevertheless demonstrated significant chan ges in attitude toward people with mental and addictive disorders. Sen ior high-school students who interacted with the program for 20 min ex perienced even greater attitude changes, and their knowledge about men tal and addictive disorders also increased significantly.