Document Type
Poster
Associated Faculty
Sarah Hanscome, MSN RN
Sponsoring Academic Department
School of Nursing
Publication Date
2025
Abstract/ Summary
The field of psychiatric medicine has evolved rapidly in recent decades with constant advancement of evidence-based acceptable practices, therapies, and medications. However, the establishing practices of psychiatry are historically and societally recognized as unethical and harmful. This negative reputation potentially steers some adults from participating in modern ethical psychiatric treatment such as electroconvulsive therapy. This literature review will explore how stigma-reduction interventions affect the utilization rates of electroconvulsive therapy in adults with major depressive disorder. The literature search was conducted in the CINAHL, PubMed, and PsycInfo databases. The inclusion criteria required peer-reviewed articles published in English between 2020-2025 that focused on adults. Exclusion criteria were implemented to remove non-peer-reviewed articles published before 2020, as well as studies involving non-adult populations or participants with underlying health conditions. In brief summation, it was found that stigma reduction interventions like education, exposure, or patient-centered counseling demonstrate measurable benefits that ultimately reduce unwarranted fear and prolonged suffering in patients considering electroconvulsive therapy. It is recommended that electroconvulsive therapy should be utilized for major depressive disorder with the use of stigma-reduction interventions.
Repository Citation
Wise, Sophia; Straub, Anna; Gomm, Makenzie; and Greenlaw, Delaney, "The Impact of Stigma-Reduction Interventions on Electroconvulsive Therapy Utilization in Adults with Major Depressive Disorder" (2025). Non-Thesis Student Work. 102.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/student_work/102
Version
other
Poster