Paper Guidelines
In this course we talk about how psychopathology is portrayed in our society and how this affects the lives of those with mental illnesses. Because most people don’t have expertise in abnormal psychology, public perceptions about psychopathology are strongly influenced by the media, including popular movies and television. Information presented in the media can be sympathetic and enlightening, or can perpetuate the stigma often associated with mental illness. This stigma limits opportunities for individuals with mental illnesses and often prevents them from seeking appropriate help. For this assignment, you will critically evaluate the accuracy of information recently presented in the movies or on TV on some form of psychopathology, and discuss how this presentation might influence public opinion.
Mental Illness in the Movies and on TV”
One of the most visible places to find examples of mental illness is in movies or on TV. This assignment will involve watching a popular film or TV show that depicts some form of psychopathology. In your paper, you will provide a comprehensive diagnosis of the character with the disorder, and discuss his/her symptoms, treatment, and as the mental health profession in general. Finally, you will be asked to discuss the film’s characterization in light of the current understanding of this disorder.
Paper Guidelines
1. Choose a recent movie or television show that has a character with a mental illness
2. The paper should have at least X sections:
a. Introductory Paragraph:
i. Introduce the movie and character you will be presenting
ii. Brief description of movie and character (1 paragraph max)
iii. Identify the primary diagnosis of the character
b. Provide an overview of the disorder including age of onset, course (does it last a short time or is it a lifetime illness?), prevalence etc..
c. Research that explains the etiology (the origins/cause) of the disorder
d. Research on the types of treatment for the disorder. Parts b-d of the paper should be approximately 2 pages double spaced and should be in APA style. Please use a minimum three peer reviewed references (which should be cited in APA style).
e. List symptoms for primary diagnosis using DSM 5 criteria and explain what character did (i.e. behavior) to qualify to have those symptoms
f. Discuss portrayal of disorder in movie. Was it realistic? What was not realistic? Was anything mentioned about treatment? If so, what?
g. Conclusion
h. References (minimum 3) in APA style on a separate page with the title References at the top of the page.
3. Paper should be 6-8 pages in length double spaced 12 point font and 1 inch margins..
