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ABSTRACT
Stigmatization of mental illness is closely related with media representation. Newspaper is regarded as the main source of information for Malaysian public. However, the portrayal of mental illnesses in this form of media was never assessed. This study was conducted with the aims of evaluating how Bahasa Melayu newspapers reported mental illness issues and to quantify the frequency of negative depiction versus positive depiction of mental illness patient. Four daily Bahasa Melayu newspapers were examined page by page by the researchers during a five-week period, from July to August 2015. These newspapers were chosen based on their average daily circulation. The selected articles were coded according to coding frame developed by the authors. The data were then analyzed qualitatively using content analysis. A total of 46 articles were selected for analysis. The majority of tone used in the headlines of these articles was neutral and the majority of the tone used in the text was negative. The most common keyword in these articles was 'sakit mental'. The findings were similar to what have been reported in other studies. In order to prevent further negative stigma on mental illness, several recommendations were discussed.
Keywords: Stigma, Mental Illness, Psychiatry, Media, Newspaper
1.INTRODUCTION
Psychiatry is branch of medicine that deals with mental disorders, illnesses that affect an individuaľs cognition, emotional regulation and behaviors which in turn manifest in a dysfunction of psychological, biological, or developmental processes (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Mass media includes broadcast media; television and radio, printed media; newspaper and magazines, and online media; websites, blog, social media. More than any other medical disciplines, psychiatry often became the subject of factual or fictional depiction in media and arts (Byrne, 2003). Symptoms such as auditory hallucinations and fascinating delusions potentially drive the creative processes and imaginations of artists. The significant influence of media on public perception and behaviors is a well-established fact (Mcnamara, 2003). The relationship between psychiatry and media is controversial at best. Like many other important issues such as education and national security, psychiatry depends on media to advocate the public. For general knowledge about psychiatry, media is still public's main feeder (Anderson, 2003). However, most research conducted showed that media representation of psychiatric illness or mental health workers was in contrast making...