Covering Mental Illness

Abstract

US-based print journalists who had won awards for stories about mental illness were interviewed to determine how the coverage of mental illness might be improved. Respondents indicated that a mixture of organizational and personal factors such as editorial support, considerable journalism experience, personal exposure to mental illness, as well as empathy, helped them to produce quality stories. Also noteworthy were respondents' opinions on suggestions in reporting guides about imitation suicides, sensitive language, and positive mental illness news.