Uncritical use of non-evidence-based self-help materials induces victim-blaming on depressed individuals. Issue 4 (4th July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yeung, June Chun; Lun, Vivian Miu-Chi
• Is Part Of: Journal of positive psychology. Volume 16:Issue 4(2021)
• Page Start: 492
• Page End: 502
• Publication Date: 2021-07-04
• Subjects: Self-help -- positive self-statement -- victim-blaming -- depression; Positive psychology -- Periodicals; Quality of life -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Happiness -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; 158
• DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2020.1752780
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-9760

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Popular self-help materials claim that reading and internalizing positive self-statements promotes well-being. Four studies were conducted to examine how these materials may instead heighten individuals' tendency to lay blame on those who suffer from depression. Study 1 showed positive correlation between usage of positive self-statement and victim-blaming tendency. In Study 2, participants who were only told about the benefits of positive self-statements showed more victim-blaming than those who were informed about their mixed effects. Study 3 revealed that participants who read non-evidence-based positive self-statements tended to show higher victim-blaming than those who read other statements, and the statistical significance of this effect was verified in the better-powered replication Study 4. These findings showed that uncritical use of non-evidence-based self-help materials has small but robust effect on inducing victim-blaming, r =.17, 95% CI [.11, .23]. Detailing the conditional effects of these materials to users may alleviate this negative impact.