Authentic representations or stereotyped ‘outliers’: using the CARS2 to assess film portrayals of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

There is a growing body of literature that discusses the stereotyped representations of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in film. Existing literature questions the integrity of filmic representations, listing stereotypes in image, formulaic plots, homogeneous archetypes and unrealistic relationships as a few of the contentious issues. This paper, the first to our knowledge, utilizes an empirical assessment tool, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS2), which is accepted and used by professionals working in the field of ASD, to analyse the character representations of ASD. Two independent raters from different professional backgrounds were able to accurately assess character portrayals from 15 films using the CARS2. Through this analysis, they were able to determine the distribution of filmic autism symptomology relative to the normal distribution of symptomology expected in the actual population with a diagnosis. The paper discusses the film-related findings, the implications and the educative potential of this exercise for practitioners.

Keywords:

• CARS2
• film representations of ASD
• normal distribution of characteristics
• education
• severe portrayals

Notes on contributors

Dr Andrea Garner received her doctorate in December of 2014 from the University of Wollongong. Her thesis examined the influence of exposure to films featuring characters on the autism spectrum on the attitudes and knowledge of preservice teachers. She is currently teaching and conducting research at a school for children on the autism spectrum and at the University of Wollongong. Currently she conducting research in the assessment and delivery of social skills programs, training models for parents of children on the spectrum and the effectiveness of online information sharing.

Professor Sandra C. Jones is an ARC Future Fellow and Director of the Centre for Health and Social Research (CHaSR), in the Mary MacKillop Institute for Health, Australian Catholic University (Melbourne). Sandra's research focuses on the relationship between media and health, including the impacts of advertising in the print and electronic media on health behaviour, and the use of social marketing to improve population health. Sandra Jones is an ARC Future Fellow and Director of the Centre for Health and Social Research (CHaSR), in the Mary MacKillop Institute for Health, Australian Catholic University (Melbourne).

Professor Valerie Harwood, ARC Future Fellow. Harwood's research interests include the production of knowledge on child and youth psychopathology, critical disability studies, youth exclusion and practices of medicalisation in schools. Her current research projects include: Imagining university education: The perspectives of young people impacted by low socio-economic status and disengagement from school (Australian Research Council).

Notes

1. The authors utilise the term Autism Spectrum Disorder as it is referred to in the DSM only because it is a universally referenced term, but do not promote the perspective of disorder and will therefore primarily refer to the characters as being on the autism spectrum or with autism conditions.

2. Films in which the DVD synopsis identifies a character as ‘autistic’ or ‘having autism’ or ‘Asperger's Syndrome’ were used in the study as these particular films identify a character as portraying the characteristics associated with the diagnosis of ASD.

3. Only one character was rated per film to maintain consistency and limit the possibility of comparative bias (judging one character as more or less able based on the portrayal of the secondary character).