Content Analysis Clinical

Question 1

What’s the research question?

Answer 1

To what extent do films depicting characters with schizophrenia portray an accurate reflection of factors affecting and treatment of schizophrenia?

Question 2

What is the aim of the practical?

Answer 2

To partially replicate the procedure of Owen (2012) by completing a summative content analysis on 2 films; ‘Beautiful mind’ and The soloist’, in order to determine the extent to which these films are able to inform viewers accurately on factors and treatments relating to schizophrenia

Question 3

What 2 films did we do the content analysis on?

Answer 3

‘Beautiful mind’ and ‘The soloist’

Question 4

What did Levers (2001) find?

Answer 4

Mental illness in Hollywood films were depicted as dangerous

• doesn’t reflect true reality of schizophrenics behaviour
• could cause prejudge & stigma in viewers

Question 5

What categories were there visual differences between?

Answer 5

• Sexual & physical intimacy

- Positive and negative symptoms

Question 6

What statistical test was used?

Answer 6

Chi- squared

Question 7

What was the statistical test conclusion?

Answer 7

The calculated value of 12.4 is less than the critical value of 26.3 so therefore we can conclude that the results are not significant.

Question 8

How does the content analysis lack generalisability?

Answer 8

• Small sample size of 2 films not representative of the population of other films
• Cultural bias as both films were produced in America which reflects schizophrenic experiences of American people
• Gender bias as both films depicted male schizophrenia

Question 9

How was the reliability of the content analysis increased?

Answer 9

• There we’re at least 2 inter-raters for each category to reduce possible data errors

Question 10

How was the validity of the content analysis increased?

Answer 10

• Averages were calculated for all the tallies which prevented outliers skewing results

Question 11

How did the content analysis lack validity?

Answer 11

• Symptomatic and treatment factors may have been dramatised in the film to make it more appealing to the audience so it’s not a true reflection of schizophrenia

Question 12

Why was credibility of the films high?

Answer 12

• Both films achieved awards for the accuracy of depiction of people with schizophrenia
• Both were true stories of people suffering from schizophrenia

Question 13

How was objectivity in the content analysis increased?

Answer 13

• Inter-raters looked for the same categories and tallies were averaged to minimise objective tallying

Question 14

How was objectivity in the content analysis decreased?

Answer 14

• Some categories were hard to measure and distinguish e.g., deviance due to peoples experiences and perceptions

Question 15

Why did the content analysis have limited subjectivity?

Answer 15

• Gender bias in researchers (gynocentric)

Question 16

What are strengths of using content analysis as a method?

Answer 16

• Reliable way to analyse qualitative data as coding units aren’t open to interpretation
• Easy technique which isn’t time-consuming
• Allows a statistical analysis to be conducted as there’s usually quantitative data

Question 17

What are the weaknesses of using content analysis as a method?

Answer 17

• Causality can’t be established as it merely describes the data
• Can’t look for deeper meanings or explanation for data patterns arising

Question 18

What are the conclusions of this content analysis?

Answer 18

• Almost all categories used to diagnose schizophrenia appeared in both films
• There’s consistency in portrayal between the two films

Question 19

What improvements could be made to the method?

Answer 19

• More films from a range of cultures would be used
• Films that portray female schizophrenia used
• Use a wider range of researchers with more men
• Researchers should discuss what to look out for for each of the themes