Psychological Disorders Project
Psychology
Date:
Disorders In Film Analysis
Essential Question: How are people affected by psychological disorders?
Introduction: It is commonly said during Oscar season that the best way for an actor to win an Academy
Award is to play a deeply disturbed person. An example of this strategy was Sally Field, who played a
remarkably and sweet young woman with Dissociative Identity Disorder with thirteen identities in the
movie, Cybil. The class will examine how closely actors such as Sally Field portray disorders.
Goals: Each student will work in a collaborative group of no more than four to diagnose, research,
evaluate, and present an actor’s ability to portray an individual who has a psychological disorder.
Directions:
(1) Movie Viewing and Planning:
Select one of the suggested movies which include a character who is struggling with a psychological
disorder(s). Get teacher approval for your movie. Make arrangements to watch the movie to learn about the
character.
Complete a task sheet and schedule that divides the work equally among your team and suggests
appropriate deadlines. Project Weight 10%
(2) Written Analysis (Not to exceed 2 pages, double-spaced in a 11-12 legible font):
Diagnose the character using the DSM-IV and other well-respected medical/psychological journals.
Provide an abundance of specific and elaborate evidence.
Evaluate the accuracy and/or realistic nature of the actor’s performance. Again, provide some specific and
elaborate commentary.
Make a recommendation that includes the discussion of specific therapies in three therapy families.
Suggest a rationale for which ones would be the most useful/least useful.
Include a Works Cited Page and reference sources used in your actual written analysis. The DSM-IV is a
required source. At least one source beyond the DSM-IV per person is required.
Submit written proposal prior to presentation for teacher feedback Project Weight 60%
(3) Presentation:
Select at least one 5-minute clip to show the class. This clip should be school appropriate—no violence,
adult content or inappropriate language. NO MOVIE TRAILERS!!!
Present to the class your five minute clip and an up to five minute presentation that addresses a (1) quick
movie summary, (2) Diagnosis and (3) Evaluation of actor accuracy. Presenters should also be
knowledgeable enough to respond to any questions about the disorder. No reading from notes during
project. Teacher feedback from the written report should be incorporated into the presentation. Project
Weight 30%
Grading Criteria:
 Planning and movie viewing will be graded on completeness.

Written analysis and presentation will be graded using the AP standards based on evidence,
elaboration, professionalism and clarity in all areas.
5=Exemplary 4=Impressive 3=Average 2=Deficient 1-Severely Deficient
Late work will result in a twenty point per day late penalty. Follow time and page requirements.
Guidelines: Here is a suggested movie list for the disorders that we need to represent in an AP
Psychology class. While these movies were picked because they categorically represent one major
pathological disorder, there may be additional symptoms and disorders present. Please select a movie
that fits into your mood/philosophy. For example if you do not like to watch violence, please select a
comedy. Should you wish to suggest an appropriate replacement for the suggested movies, bring
preliminary research and a movie may be swapped so long as it still adequately represents a disorder
family.
Anxiety Disorder
As Good As It Gets- 1997 Rating: PG-13
Actors: Jack Nicholson, Greg Kinnear, Helen Hunt
Dissociative Identity Disoder
Fight Club 1999 Rating: R
Actors: Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter
Bipolar Disorder
The Informant-2009
Actors: Matt Damon
Depression
Prozac Nation-2001
Actors: Christina Ricci, Jessica Lange, Michelle Williams, Jason Biggs and Anne Heche
Paranoid Schizophrenia
A Beautiful Mind
Actors: Russel Crowe and Jennifer Connelly
Borderline Personality Disorder
Girl Interrupted-1999
Actors: Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie
Antisocial Personality Disorder
The Silence of the Lambs-1991
Actors: Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins
Anxiety Disorder
Analyze This-1999
Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal
Histrionic Personality Disorder
Gone with the Wind-1939
Actors: Clark Gable and Vivienne Leigh
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
American Gigolo 1980
Actors: Richard Gere and Lauren Hutton