Mental Health Movie Analysis
Learning Objective: Students will supplement their knowledge and comprehension of common mental health disorders such as Anxiety, Bipolar, Eating Disorders, Autism, Alzheimers, Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD, OCD, Psychosis, Schizophrenia and etc. through analyzing and evaluating their portrayal in selected media.
Desired Outcome: Students will develop their understanding of the featured mental illness through the analysis and evaluation of the characters portrayal of mental illness, which will include a discussion of the accuracy of portrayal as well as the diagnosis criteria and treatment of the featured disorder.
Directions: Please choose ONE movie from the list of movies below.
As Good As It Gets (1997) Psychopathology, OCD, personality disorders, social bias
A Beautiful Mind (2001) Psychopathology, treatment, schizophrenia, family dynamics, stress and coping
Silver Linings Playbook (2012) Bipolar Disorder
Girl Interrupted (1999) Borderline Personality Disorder
Ordinary People (1980) Depression, suicide, family dynamics, stress and coping
Assignment: After watching the movie, identify and analyze the portrayal of the featured mental illness in a simple analysis paper. The must be completed in APA format and needs to include 2 Scholarly References. Please review this student sample here .
Note:
You are NOT creating a summary or review of the movie.
You are analyzing the characters portrayal, and movies depiction of the mental illness.
To make the disorder become more relevant, you will address three components of the film:
1. Accuracy of portrayal of mental illness: How is the character shown to be mentally ill? Does the film say what the condition is? What are the typical symptoms and how are they displayed? How is the condition diagnosed? What are the diagnosis criteria for the illness depicted in the movie. Does this character meet that criteria? Be specific, how is the illness communicated to viewers and to other actors in the film? In what ways does the movie accurately represent the disorder or misrepresent it? Explain using an example from the movie.
2. Treatment recommendations: How is the illness treated in the movie you chose? What other treatments are available? (Especially if this movie is older, are there new therapies?) What might be a possible treatment plan for this character?
3. Pick ONE of the three following points to address, choose one that applies to your film:
o Professional ethics: How are the doctors and therapists depicted? What are their interactions with the ill character? How are these professionals helping or hurting the situation? What is the purpose of depicting mental health care professionals in this light?
o Perpetuation of stigma: What are the false statements or depictions of mental illness in the film? Are there accurate depictions? How do you know? Why are aspects of illness so misrepresented?
o Attitude change: How did characters in the film change over time in their attitudes towards mental illness? How did this film change your attitude about the depicted illness?
Analysis Paper, Template: (Double space, proofread for spelling & grammar!)
Paragraph 1: Introduction to movie and the depiction of mental illness in the movie (your main sentence within this paragraph will indicate what your three points are going to be.)
Paragraph 2: Accuracy analysis of the movie: How is the character shown to be mentally ill? How is the illness communicated to viewers and to other actors in the film?
What diagnosis criteria did the character meet, or not meet?
Paragraph 3: – Treatment analysis and recommendation: How is the illness treated in the movie? What treatments are available? (Especially if this movie is older, are there new therapies?) Discuss possible treatments appropriate for this character, not specific medications or anything, but long-term goals.
Paragraph 4: Pick your third topic and answer the questions. No need to provide a summary paragraph, but it is a good rule of thumb to go back to your main sentence in the first paragraph and make sure you hit all the points that you said you would address.
