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- Title
Newspaper Articles Related to the Not Criminally Responsible on Account of Mental Disorder (NCRMD) Designation: A Comparative Analysis.
- Authors
Whitley, Rob; JiaWei Wang; Carmichael, Victoria; Wellen, Ruth; Wang, JiaWei
- Abstract
<bold>Objective: </bold>The not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (NCRMD) designation remains widely misunderstood by the public. Such misunderstandings may also be reflected in the media. As such, the aim of this study is to conduct a preliminary examination of the tone and content of recent Canadian newspaper articles where NCRMD is a major theme, comparing these to generic articles about mental illness.<bold>Methods: </bold>Articles about mental illness were gathered from major Canadian newspapers. These were then divided into two categories: 1) articles where NCRMD was a major theme and 2) articles where NCRMD was not a major theme. Articles were then coded for the presence or absence of 1) a negative tone, 2) stigmatising tone/content, 3) recovery/rehabilitation as a theme, and 4) shortage of resources/poor quality of care as a theme.<bold>Results: </bold>The retrieval strategy resulted in 940 articles. Fourteen percent ( n = 131) of all articles had NCRMD as a major theme. In comparison to generic articles about mental illness, articles with NCRMD as a major theme were significantly more likely to have a negative tone ( P < 0.001) and stigmatising tone/content ( P < 0.001) and significantly less likely to have recovery/rehabilitation ( P < 0.001) or shortage of resources/poor quality of care as a theme ( P < 0.001).<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Articles with NCRMD as a theme were overwhelmingly negative and almost never focused on recovery or rehabilitation, in stark comparison to generic articles about mental illness.
- Subjects
CANADA; INSANITY defense; CRIME in mass media; NEWSPAPERS; PRESS; SOCIAL stigma; MENTAL illness in mass media; ECONOMICS; MENTAL illness; CAPACITY (Law); COMPARATIVE studies; MASS media; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL cooperation; REHABILITATION of people with mental illness; PSYCHOTHERAPY patients; LEGAL status of psychotherapy patients; RESEARCH; EVALUATION research; LAW; LEGISLATION; PSYCHOLOGY
- Publication
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 2017, Vol 62, Issue 10, p697
- ISSN
0706-7437
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1177/0706743717720688