Does the Tone and Content of Media Coverage of Mental Illness Vary by Disorder? A Comparison of Reporting Patterns of Different Mental Disorders in Canadian News Media

Abstract

This study compares the coverage of different mental illnesses in the Canadian news media over a 3-month sample period. Articles were coded for tone and content characteristics, and variations across mental illness categories were assessed with frequency counts and chi-squared tests. Articles about common mental disorders (depression/anxiety) showed more positive elements than those about severe mental illness (bipolar/schizophrenia). Many articles also focused on PTSD, with mixed coverage. Future educational efforts with journalists should particularly focus on improving coverage of more severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and PTSD.