Diagnosing Abnormality in Media (DAM) Project The purpose of this DAM project is to help you learn to apply your newly acquired diagnostic skills in real-world situations. It is designed to simulate the same type of decision-making processes clinicians use every day when assessing if an individual’s thoughts/behaviors constitute sufficient criteria for the diagnosis of a mental disorder. Here’s how the DAM project works: Step 1: Pick a character from a movie or television show that you feel might meet the criteria for the diagnosis of a mental disorder. List the character and the movie/show they are found in. Step 2: Using notes from class and the DSM 5 (found in the ‘Content’ section in Blackboard) highlight instances in the film/show where you feel the character is exhibiting specific symptoms of your chosen disorder (must exhibit at least 3 symptoms). Include direct quotes/actions displayed in the film/show that helped you come to this conclusion. Step 3: If the character does not meet full criteria for a diagnosis, list what criteria is missing and what other information you might need in order to make this diagnosis. Step 4: List any differential diagnoses that might be important to rule out before making this diagnosis and how you were/weren’t able to rule them out. In order to assist with this, look up the disorder in the DSM 5; there should be a section entitled “Differential Diagnosis” in the section covering whatever diagnosis you are using (if there isn’t one, simply make a note of this in your paper…but I will check). Step 5: Compile all of this into a Microsoft Word document, in a format similar to the example below, and submit the assignment found in the ‘DAM Project’ folder in Blackboard. **Please see the example on the next page in order to help inform you what your DAM project should look like and the type of content that should be included if you want to get full credit on this assignment. My DAM Project Example 1. The character I have chosen for this assignment is Alex, who is the central character in the film A Clockwork Orange. 2. I feel that Alex exhibits the symptoms of Antisocial Personality Disorder. Listed below are how his symptoms meet the criteria for this diagnosis: According to the DSM 5, in order to make this diagnosis a person has to have shown a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and the violation of, the rights of others, as indicated by at least three of the following symptoms: [1] Failure to conform to social norms, as indicated by repeatedly performing unlawful acts – He repeatedly uses an illegal drug called “Milk Plus.” – He assaults, robs, and violently beats an elderly couple. – He breaks into a couple’s home and then commits murder and rape. – He steals several cars over the course of the film. [2] Deceitfulness, repeated lying, conning others – He constantly lies to his mother and parole officer about his activities and whereabouts. – He pretends to be kind to a religious worker in prison in order to secure an early release. [3] Irritability/Aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights/assaults – He is easily angered and assaults his own friends repeatedly for minor infractions. [4] Reckless disregard for the safety of self and others – He repeatedly endangers his own life by driving recklessly and committing illegal acts. – He shows a disregard for others by committing murder, theft, assault, and rape throughout the film. [5] Lack of remorse, indifference to the harm they have caused others – He feels no remorse for his crimes, as indicated by his descriptions of his actions. He consistently refers to his various murders and sexual assaults as “real horrorshow”, which is their slang for ‘ a great time’. Before committing these horrendous acts, on more than one occasion he asks his friends if they were up for “a bit of fun” in reference to randomly seeking out people to harm. The DSM also requires that the individual be at least 18 years old in order to make this diagnosis. Alex is 15 years old at the beginning of the film, but he is 18 by the conclusion. He shows a consistent pattern of this behavior throughout the film. 3. It is unclear if the character meets full criteria for this diagnosis. In order to meet the full criteria for this diagnosis, an individual must show evidence of Conduct Disorder before the age of 15. There is little information about Alex’s behaviors prior to the beginning of the film, where he is 15. In order to ascertain if he meets this criteria, we would need a better history of his actions before the age of 15. This might be obtained through a clinical interview with Alex or his mother, but this might also be achieved by examining any criminal records of his activities before the age of 15. 4. One differential diagnosis the DSM 5 lists as a consideration for this disorder is schizophrenia. While the character does have “visions” during the film, these are always the product of the ingestion of the drug Milk Plus and never occur outside of periods where this drug is present in his system. He exhibits no hallucinations or delusional thoughts, and he shows none of the negative symptoms associated with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Alex appears to be emotive, oriented to his surroundings, calculated in his actions, and clear in his motivations to harm others for fun, not out of a paranoid/irrational fear others will harm him if he doesn’t. It is due to these reasons that I believe antisocial personality disorder is a better diagnosis for this individual.
