Stigma and Health, Vol 10(2), May 2025, 187-198; doi:10.1037/sah0000596
Beginning in the 1990s, several antistigma campaigns adopted two predominant messages regarding depression: (a) that it has a biological, chemical, and genetic basis and (b) that it is a “real medical illness.” The popular chemical imbalance explanation encapsulates both aspects and has been disseminated widely. Although these framings were intended to reduce personal blame for having depression, psychological science has revealed other drawbacks of these messages and has since explored different framings. In two studies, we expanded upon this research by comparing biogenetic beliefs and messages against an alternative message that frames depression as a functional signal. In a survey of college students (N = 978), Study 1 found that biogenetic beliefs were unrelated to personal blame and responsibility for depression but were related to less hope for recovery. Believing that depression had a function had the opposite effect: more personal responsibility but also increased optimism for recovery. Study 2 was an online, preregistered randomized controlled trial among U.S. adult family members of those diagnosed with depression (N = 1,221) comparing biogenetic and functional messages about depression. Notably, 12 out of the 17 preregistered outcomes were not significantly different between the conditions. However, the biogenetic message about depression was associated with less blame from self and others but also less optimism about recovery compared to the functional message about depression. We conclude that both messages carry benefits and consequences and that public health campaigns should be mindful of the multifaceted influences of particular messages. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)