CLP 4433 USF Toni Morrison Beloved a Mental Illness Essay
For this assignment, you will select a movie (any year), TV show (specific episode), book, or video game that portrays a character diagnosed with, or presenting with symptoms of, one of the mental health disorders discussed during the semester. Your task will be to critically evaluate the portrayal of the disorder, including whether the portrayal is respectful, and discuss the extent to which the portrayal is consistent with the research literature. The paper is expected to be 4-6 double-spaced pages (see specific formatting requirements below). The final paper will be submitted to Canvas, uploaded via Turnitin, by April 30, 2021 at 11:59 pm. Please remember to upload a PDF copy of the article you chose along with your final paper.
PAPER GUIDELINES:
Movie/TV Show/Book/Game Summary. Write a very brief summary of the movie, episode, book, or game. Be sure to provide clear evidence that you watched (read or played) it. If you are focusing on a specific clip, please provide timing of the specific clip.
Critical Analysis of Accuracy. Provide a critical analysis of how accurate you found the portrayal of the mental illness. Show evidence of your knowledge of the psychological disorder or type of therapy (i.e., include information from the class or text). Be sure to consider the following questions, at a minimum:
- How accurate was the portrayal of either the mental illness, treatment, or both based on what you have learned this semester?
- To what extent are the disorder(s) presented seem to be exaggerated and/or “Hollywoodized?”
Empirical Research Application. Select one empirical article from either the Journal of Abnormal Psychology (JAP) or the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (JCCP) examining the etiological factors or the treatment of the disorder from the movie/episode. Tie this information into your critical analysis (see #2). Include the following:
- A brief summary of the study and findings.
- How it is applicable to the movie/TV portrayal you selected.
- How it supports your conclusions of your critical analysis.
Respectfulness of Portrayal. Is the movie/episode respectful of individuals with mental illness? Why or why not?
Public Perception Implications. What are the implications for public perceptions of the mental illness/treatment based on the portrayal you selected?
