Graphic medicine in mental health nursing education: a phenomenological approach to using graphic pathographies as a pedagogical tool.

Abstract

Training healthcare students on topics of psychiatry and mental health is challenging because, besides scientific knowledge, addressing attitudes towards mental health is equally important. In this sense, graphic pathographies, understood as stories of patient experience, can foster meaningful learning opportunities and support a deeper understanding of the patient's perspective from a more social, emotional and inclusive approach to the healthcare discourse. The purpose of the present research was to explore nursing students' experiences with a graphic medicine-based intervention in a mental health and psychiatric context. A qualitative study was conducted using a focus group methodology. The Spanish graphic pathography addressing schizophrenia, Las Voces y el Laberinto, was introduced. Four main themes were identified: (1) advantages of graphic pathographies in comparison with other educational materials, emphasising their capacity to enhance information retention, capture the reader's sustained attention and encourage a uniform interpretation of concepts; (2) potential of graphic pathographies in the assimilation of theory, where students point out that these narratives facilitate the understanding of mental disorders, promote empathy and favour critical reflection on stigma; and (3) usefulness of graphic pathographies in the transfer of knowledge, evidencing its potential for the training of professionals, patient education and social awareness; (4) from reluctance to acceptance: a change in the perception of graphic pathographies in education. The findings advocate that graphic pathographies can enhance learning and reflection on complex mental health content in the context of a well-designed and facilitated teaching session, in which students have prior knowledge on the topic.