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Background: Stigmatization of people with schizophrenia is pervasive, even among healthcare professionals, negatively impacting care quality and social inclusion. I developed an arts-based online study – doctoral research as parts of LIBIAS – to investigate whether engagement with artworks and associated mentalization processes can enhance empathy and reduce stigma. This aligns with WHO recommendations to integrate arts into health education to foster empathy and social cohesion.

Goals: This cross-sectional observational study examines:

whether labeling artworks as created by a patient versus a professional artist affects empathy and stigma (Experiment 1: “Label”), and

whether inducing perspective-taking through engagement with art enhances cognitive empathy compared to a psychopathology-focused approach (Experiment 2: “Perspective-Taking”). The study focuses on schizophrenia, a psychiatric area particularly affected by stigma.

Methods: Participants (n = 512; 4×128) completed tasks directing attention either toward labels or perspective-taking. Experiment 1 tested labeling effects; Experiment 2 contrasted active perspective-taking versus psychopathology-focused evaluation. Cognitive empathy was measured using the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET). Data were analyzed using mixed linear models (effect size 0.50, power 80%, α = 0.05).

Results: Preliminary analyses show that active perspective-taking significantly improves RMET performance relative to a psychopathology focus, while labeling produced smaller but measurable effects. The presentation will detail quantitative findings and their interpretation.

Conclusion: These results suggest that arts-based, mentally engaging interventions can reduce stigma and enhance empathy among psychiatric professionals. Findings support broader integration of perspective-taking exercises in anti-stigma training and highlight potential for adaptation to other healthcare groups and public audiences.