The Role of Theatre in Addressing Mental Health Stigma Among University Students in Kwara State

This study examines the role of theatre-based interventions in addressing mental health stigma among university students in Kwara State, North Central Nigeria. Mental health stigma remains a pervasive barrier to help-seeking among Nigerian university students, contributing to underutilisation of counselling services and exacerbation of untreated psychological distress. Theatre, with its capacity for humanising lived experience and generating empathetic response, offers a promising approach to challenging stigmatising attitudes and promoting mental health literacy. The research evaluates a semester-long drama-based mental health awareness programme implemented at the University of Ilorin, measuring pre- and post-intervention changes in students' stigma attitudes and knowledge. Surveys, focus group discussions, and interviews with participants and mental health professionals provided mixed-methods data. The study finds that students who participated in theatre-based mental health workshops demonstrated significant reductions in stigmatising attitudes and increased likelihood of seeking help for psychological difficulties. Dramatic scenarios depicting characters navigating mental health challenges with dignity and resilience were particularly effective in shifting perceptions. The research concludes that theatre is a valuable instrument for mental health advocacy in university settings. Keywords: mental health stigma, theatre intervention, university students, Kwara State, health advocacy.