The portrayal of autism in Hollywood films

Abstract

Films are a powerful medium for entertainment and often educate without intending to do so. In this paper we highlight 23 recent films that portray autistic spectrum disorders. We study the impact of these films on public understanding, drawing similarities and highlighting common themes in their depictions. Increasingly, films are being utilised to teach medical students and psychiatric trainees. We consider which of these films provide the best opportunities for medical education

Mental health on screen: A DSM-5 dissection of portrayals of autism spectrum disorders in film and TV

“…In an ideal world screen representations would not only be diagnostically accurate but also do justice to the obstacles faced by people on the spectrum, while illustrating how people with ASD can achieve great things in a supportive environment. There are examples of both of these representations in our sample, but it is impossible to represent in an individual character the heterogeneity of the autism spectrum (Conn and Bhugra, 2012). This may contribute to the frequent objections raised towards characters with ASD on screen.…”

Autistic people’s perspectives on stereotypes: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

“…One way in which stereotypes can be reinforced is via the media. Media representations of autistic people, for example, often portray them in a negative way (Anjay, Palanivel and Palanivel, 2011;Maras, Mulcahy and Crane, 2015), though an exception is the "autistic savant" (Anjay, Palanivel and Palanivel, 2011;Conn and Bhugra, 2012;Draaisma, 2009;Tang and Bie, 2016). Other stereotypes depict autistic people as either dangerous and uncontrollable or unloved and poorly treated (Jones & Harwood, 2009), in addition to having a range of negative traits such as being disruptive and distracting to others (White, Hillier, Frye et al, 2016), unsocial, quiet and emotionless (Harnum, Duffy and Ferguson, 2007).…”

“…However, the accuracy of autistic stereotypes has been brought into question, with evidence suggesting that the vast majority of autistic people are not savants (Conn and Bhugra, 2012;Draaisma, 2009;Freeman-Loftis, 2015), or emotionless (Tierney, Burns and Kilbey, 2016). With this in mind, Garner, Jones and Harwood (2015) conducted a study using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS, 2) (Schopler, Van Bourgondien, Wellman et al, 2010) to measure the accuracy of film portrayals of autistic people according to 15 behavioural categories (e.g., relating, listening and intellect).…”

Clinical Diagnoses Exacerbate Stigma and Improve Self-Discovery According to People With Autism

“…Other cues and stereotypes are emphasized in Hollywood films in which people with autism are portrayed in a dichotomous nature. They are either presented as a mysterious person with physical stimulus responses, such as flapping or rocking, or they are an autistic savant with extraordinary cognitive ability (Conn & Bhugra, 2012). Visual graphics and media representations of autism are sometimes seen as reliable or are the only information available to the public.…”