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. For this paper, you will choose from a list of popular movies and determine a diagnosis for one specified character.
Formatting Requirements:
• At least 4 pages of text (not including header or references); should not be much over or under this limit
• Follow APA formatting style
o margins
1”
o Font: Times New Roman,
12 pt
o double spaced (don’t add unnecessary extra spaces between paragraphs)
• Direct quotes: For this paper you can quote the character in the film without having to cite the film.
o If you are using direct quotes from other written sources (e.g., the book, a website, etc.), they need to be in proper APA format (i.e., quotation marks, exact text, citations, page number, etc.).
• Please also include a reference page!
• You do NOT need a title page or abstract
Policy on Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s exact words or ideas without proper citation. Any sources used, including any articles, the textbook, the internet, etc. must be properly cited using APA style.
List of Movie Titles and Characters
A Beautiful Mind —— John Nash
A Streetcar Named Desire —— Blanche DuBois
Amadeus —— Antonio Salieri
As Good as it Gets —— Melvin Udall
The Aviator —— Howard Hughes
Black Swan —— Nina Sayers
Fatal Attraction —— Alex Forrest
Fight Club —— Ed Norton’s character (unnamed)
Gia —— Gia Marie
Carangi
Girl Interrupted —— Lisa or Susanna
Good Will Hunting —— Will Hunting
The Hours —— Virginia Woolf
Mr. Jones —— Mr. Jones
Psycho —— Norman Bates
Requiem for a Dream —— Harry Goldfarb
Silence of the Lambs —— Hannibal Lecter
Silver Linings Playbook —— Pat or Tiffany
Rain Man —— Raymond
To The Bone ——– Ellen
Viewing Notes: Some of these movies are fairly disturbing, and many include violence and sex. If you want to pick a movie that is a bit easier to watch, I would recommend As Good As It Gets, The Aviator, Good Will Hunting [except for a few fight scenes], A Streetcar Named Desire, or Amadeus. If you don’t like violence, I would seriously avoid Fight Club and Silence of the Lambs. If you don’t like scary, I would avoid Black Swan, Silence of the Lambs, and Psycho. If you really DO want to be disturbed, Requiem is about the most disturbing movie I’ve ever seen. (*shudder*) Watch at your own discretion…
Instructions for the Assignment:
Watch one of the movies and pay attention to the identified character. While you watch, take notes on behaviors, beliefs, cognitive styles, relationship patterns (etc.) that may be indicative of a mental health disturbance.
Next, compare your notes to the descriptions of different mental health disorders1 from your text and class notes. In reading the text, pay close attention to the diagnostic criteria (i.e., diagnostic features).
These are listed in the text boxes at the start of each disorder, and will help you to narrow down your diagnosis2.
In your paper:
1) Provide a specific diagnosis, or diagnoses (if appropriate).
2) Provide justification for why this character meets the criteria for this diagnosis (or diagnoses). You should clearly lay out the required diagnostic criteria, and provide substantial justification for how they fit these criteria. This should include examples of behavior (and maybe even some dialogue) for each of the diagnostic criteria you identified. Your justification for the diagnosis you reached is the most important part of this assignment.
3) Finally, present a theory for how this character developed the disorder(s) based on one theoretical model. You can chose to present a psychodynamic perspective, a cognitive-behavioral model, a biological model, or perhaps you want to discuss a biopsychosocial or diathesis-stress model of causality.
Whichever model you choose, be sure to state it clearly and provide examples3
.
Because this is a formal writing assignment, you need to use formal language, appropriate grammar, correct sentence structure, and so forth.
References:
You will at least be referencing the text,
so you should include a reference page for that.
If you use any online sources (movie reviews, critiques, etc.) these should be properly cited and included on your reference page.
For tips on how to properly reference online sources, please take a look at this great website: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
1.
Note that the character may show signs of a disorder we have not yet covered in class (e.g., dissociative disorders.)
2. Helpful Hint: Think about whether this is a clinical disorder or a personality disorder. Also, the person may meet criteria for more than one disorder, and if so this is important to include.
3. The movie may or may not give you a clear sense of the character’s history, but if not, you can be creative and come up with your own ideas.
