Papers must be 10 pages in length before references (i.e., you must include a reference list for anything you reference in your paper like the DSM, the movie/TV show, etc. The paper will be 10 pages not counting the reference list). You will choose one movie (Perks of Being a Wallflower) that depicts a mental illness. In the paper, you will describe Perks of Being a Wallflower and how it depicts the mental illness. You will compare how the mental illness is depicted in the movie/TV show to DSM-5 criteria for that disorder. You must include 2-3 disorders that that character could possibly have (also known as rule outs or differential diagnosis). You will need to describe and discuss these mental illnesses from the DSM-5 and provide a detailed rationale for why a particulate diagnosis was chosen based upon the DSM-5 symptom sets and other information. There are not necessarily right or wrong answers regarding which diagnoses you choose or not choose, but the paper will be graded based on how well the arguments for and against a particular diagnosis is formulated and justified. This paper should also include a critical analysis of how the mental illness is portrayed in the movie/TV show. The paper should also include a discussion of any real-life consequences (positive or negative) of the movie/TV show highlighting that mental illness (for example, might it increase stigma?)
One of your four sources will be the DSM-5.
Paper will be graded on:
30 points for description of the depicted mental illness in the movie/TV show including the relevant abnormal behavior, thoughts, feelings, etc.
30 points for the DSM-5 information about the mental illness depicted including different diagnoses that could be possible (2-3 different possible diagnoses)
20 points for the comparison the depiction from the movie to the possible DSM-5 criteria for that disorder
20 points for the critical analysis of the depiction from the movie to the possible DSM-5 criteria for that disorder
