Listeners’ perspectives of a co-designed podcast on mental illness stigma: a qualitative study

This qualitative study, published in the Journal of Public Mental Health, examines whether a co-designed podcast can contribute to reducing stigma towards people living with complex mental health issues.

The research focuses on listeners’ experiences of On the Same Wavelength, a podcast co-designed with people who have lived experience of mental illness. Twelve participants were interviewed after listening to three episodes, with analysis exploring perceived impact, strengths, and limitations as a stigma reduction tool.

The study found that podcasts can support attitude change and empathy, particularly when lived experience voices are central, but their reach may be limited to audiences already open to the topic.

What the study found

• Lived experience narratives were the most powerful and meaningful element

• Co-design increased trust and credibility of the content

• Listeners reported improved understanding of mental illness and stigma

• Participants described positive shifts in attitudes and intended behaviours

• High production quality did not necessarily translate to broad appeal

What we can learn

• Storytelling can act as an indirect, contact-based stigma reduction intervention

• Lived experience leadership strengthens impact and acceptability

• Media-based approaches often work one listener at a time rather than at scale

• Podcasts are best used alongside broader, system-level stigma reduction strategies