BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY 2000), 176, 440^443

How mental illness is portrayed in children's Theoretical background televisiontelevision Siegal's 1991) studies of children's cog- nitive development showed that children, like adults, create their understandings of Aprospectivestudy their world out of the talk about, and depictions of that world to which they are CLAIRE WILSON, RAYMOND NAIRN, JOHN COVERDALE exposed. Children demonstrate such under- and AROHA PANAPA standings when their talk about television is analysed Buckingham, 1991). The efficacy of such learning is established in studies of cigarette advertising that show evidence of Background There are no published The effects of television viewing on children children's familiarity with signification studies concerning the depiction of mental and the portrayals of mental illness in the and the use of symbols Aitken et aletal,, media have both been objects of sustained 1987). These findings are consistent with illness in children's television programmes. investigation Centrewall, 1992; Philo, Halliday's 1978) view that children learn Aims Todetermine whether mental 1996; Diefenbach, 1997). In both areas languages, social relationships and ways there has been extensive discussion of the of structuring the world through listening illness was depictedin children'stelevision. social implications of the findings yet we to and participating in talk about their MethodMethod Sample of one complete week could find no published work that brings world.world. these two fields together by examining Central to recent studies of portrayals of children'stelevision 57 hours, 50 how mental illness is portrayed in television of mental illness has been a concern with minutes; 128 series episodes: 69 cartoon programmes for children. Analyses of the vocabulary of stigmatisation, recog- animations,12 non-cartoon animations,47 media depictions of mental illness have nising that such stigmatising terms arose reallife) provided for children under the been concerned to describe how disorders out of widely employed understandings of mental disorders that could be deployed age of10 years.Disclosure analysis of are portrayed, how the portrayals are deployed by the producers, and how the for rhetorical purposes. Philo et aletal 1993,1993, portrayals of mentalillness through portrayals relate to the negative attitudes see Appendix 1) listed 165 terms about repeated viewingsviewingsidentified identified patternspatternsin in observed toward mental illness Wahl, mental illness from their adult, UK media the use of linguistic, semiotic and 1992). Researchers examining various sample, the overwhelming majority being rhetorical resources. media in different countries and using dif- pejorative. The list included a considerable fering analyses have consistently reported number of terms, such as: barking mad, ResultsResults Ofthe128 episodes, 59 46%) that depictions of mental illness are over- crackers, crazy, dotty, headcase, loony, contained one or more references to whelmingly negative Signorielli, 1989; nuts, off his rocker and screw loose, often HylerHyler et aletal, 1991; Philo et aletal, 1993; Wahl, used in jokes and for other humorous pur- mentalillness, predominantlyin cartoons 1995). There is a similar consistency in poses. Wahl 1995), discussing the relation- nnˆ47,80%) compared with other the negative stereotypes of and attitudes ship between words and humour in US episode types ww22ˆ17.1, d. f. ˆ2,2, PP550.05). toward mental illness Brockington et aletal,, media, listed stigmatising terms used in ad- Commonlyoccurring terms such as`crazy' 1993; Wolff et aletal, 1996) although demon- vertising, jokes and media including: crazy, strations of the links between media de- sick, nut, wacko, wierdo, screwy, fruit- nnˆ28),`mad' 28),`mad' nnˆ19) andand`losing `losing youryourmind' mind' pictions and these attitudes are rare cakes, kooks, cuckoo-birds and loonies. nnˆ13) were employed to denote loss of Wahl, 1992; Philo, 1996). Despite this, Even if children's understanding of terms control.The six consistently mentally ill the evidence has been considered strong related to mental illness should vary from characters were almost entirely devoid of enough for mental health professionals to that of adults, an acquaintance with these admirable attributes. suggest changes that included involving terms exposes them to the language and psychiatrists more in production of media images that are a part of adult vocabulary. Conclusion Yo u n g vi e w e r s a r e b e iin n g accounts Matas et aletal, 1985), promulgating If children are to grow into adults who sus- socialised into stigmatising conceptions of awards for excellence in reporting and tain and reproduce the stigma of mental ill- codes of practice for the media Philo etet ness as they have been doing over many mental illness. alal, 1994), and developing a closer liaison generations) they must be conversant with Declaration of interest Funding waswasFunding between mental health services and media the manner in which these resources are Mayer & Barry, 1992). In light of such deployed in their society. provided by a Facultyof Medicine and concerns, and the lack of research concern- For this study we used a form of Health Science grant. ing media depictions of mental illness in discourse analysis which seeks to identify children's television, we sought answers to the patterned use of linguistic and two questions in examining our sample of rhetorical resources in portrayals of mental children's television. Is mental illness illness in samples of published or broadcast depicted? And, if it is depicted, what patterns material. Models for our study are provided can be identified in the portrayals and their by studies of race relations Nairn & use?use? McCreanor, 1991; McCreanor, 1997),

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gender Holloway,1989) and scientific talk 23 hours 5 minutes). The total duration of in the non-cartoon animations these items Mulkay, 1985). Our analyses are under- the sample was 57 hours, 50 minutes. are not referred to in what follows. taken within a framework created by the Initial systematic viewing of the study production practices Fairclough, 1993) of sample using the criteria of Wahl & Roth the television medium. For example, in 1982) identified occasions on which men- Vocabulary entertainment we are engaged with stories tal illness was talked about, instantiated The most common terms for mental illness and narratives about characters whose and incorporated into the story. These men- in children's television were `crazy' nature and motivation are created by their tal illness references were defined by the use nnˆ28), `mad' nnˆ19) and `losing your appearance, their words, and their actions of vocabulary, as well as behaviour and mind' mind' nnˆ13). Crazy was employed widely as well as through the responses of other situations within episodes. In analysing both to judge actions, ideas, characters characters to them Butler, 1994). Further, mental illness references attention was paid and objects as unreasonable, irrational, the impact of these elements can be height- to the relevant discourses and semiotic illogical or unacceptable, and to connote ened or moderated by technical aspects of systems. Critical repeated viewings of the fun, wildness, spontaneity, passion and the production Wilson et aletal, 1999,1999aa). In thisthis).In relevant material followed to break down unpredictability. Like crazy, mad was used study we include these technical aspects the components of the references and to ambiguously;some uses favoured mad as among the discursive resources contribut- identify common elements and patterns. crazy while other uses were weighted to ing to the broadcast depiction. With respect Evaluations of ratings were checked and dis- mad as angry, although both usages implied to mental illness we would expect chil- cussed by the authors in order to achieve a loss of control. Other commonly employ- dren's television to rely upon a simplified agreement. The proportions of depictions ed terms included `nuts' nnˆ10), `driven subset of the discursive resources identified in cartoon, non-cartoon animations and bananas' bananas'nnˆ10), `twisted, deranged' or in adult materials Wilson et aletal, 1999,1999bb).). real-life episodes were tested using the ww22 `disturbed' nnˆ10), `wacko' or `cuckoo' method.method. nnˆ9), `loony, lunatic' or `loon' nnˆ7),7), Characters were defined as mentally ill `insane' `insane'nnˆ6), and `freak' nnˆ6).6). when they were consistently referred to by Stereotypic signs for insanity such as other characters as having a mental illness. motions to the head and rolling eyes METHOD While there were a small number of such nnˆ6) also occurred. characters, there was also a quite wide- Language in these programmes was Correspondence with broadcasters at Tele- spread use of mental illness terms for eval- typically colloquial and, in cartoons, con- vision New Zealand identified two of the uating or describing actions. A word, current with scenes or actions that were un- four, free of charge television channels as `crazy' for example, might be used to constrained by any natural law. A sense of providing sessions aimed at children under evaluate a particular behaviour rather than this can be conveyed by the song that intro- the age of 10 years. These two television suggest a mental illness or disorder, so we ducesduces Tiny Toon Adventures, an animated channels featured early morning 6.30± made no attempt to provide a formal cartoon produced by Steven Spielberg for 9 a.m.) and mid-afternoon 3.00±4.30 p.m.) psychiatric categorisation on the basis of Warner Brothers. It begins with a rainbow time-slots for children's programmes. The actions.actions. coloured target with a blank centre in programmes achieve broad demographic which Babs and Buster Bunny appear. The coverage and viewership. words are: ``We're tiny, we're toony, we're The sample analysed in this study was all a little loony and in this cartoony we're one complete week of children's television RESULTSRESULTS invading your TV''. At the ``all a little from both these channels. This study in- loony'' the screen is filled with cartoon cluded 46different children's programmes. Of the 128 episodes 69 cartoon anima- characters who then pour out of the front Of these 29 60%) were produced in the tions, 12 non-cartoon animations, 47 real of the pictured television in a purposeful USA, including 81.5% 22 of 27 titles) of life), 59 46.1%) contained one or more manner. The song closes with the toons the cartoon animations. references to mental illness. Of the 59 repeating the first line standing beneath an These 46children's programmes in- episodes containing references, the over- entrance arch at their `looniversity' before volved 128 series episodes. An episode whelming majority occurred within cartoons disappearing into the blank centre of the was defined by the daily programme time- nnˆ47, 79.7%). The remaining 12 episodes target for; ``Its Tiny Toon Adventures come slot and usually comprised a full length 20.3%) were real life. These differences and join the fun''. Babs and Buster Bunny story. However, within one episode, two between the rates of occurrence across the then reappear for the final line; ``And now or three distinct short stories could be run three episode categories were significant our song is done''. Within the song viewers separated by advertisements. These epi- ww22ˆ17.1, d.f.17.1,d.f.ˆ2,2, PP550.05).0.05). are introduced to 10 named characters, sodes were unequally dispersed as 69 cartoon In the 59 episodes containing one or concluding with; ``and Go-Go is insane'', animations 54%, duration 33 hours 25 more references to mental illness there whereupon that character hits himself on minutes), 12 non-cartoon animations com- was a total of 159 references. The bulk of the head with a mallet converting to five prising three-dimensional, computer and these references were in cartoon animations laughing Go-Go's. model animations 9%, duration 1 hour 133, 83.5%) with the remainder 26, Many of the references to mental illness 20 minutes) and 47 real life episodes ± 16.4%) in real life episodes. The difference were judgements about a character's actions those that involved living people although in rates across the three episode categories in a situation rather than the character's they often incorporated some puppetry or was significant ww22ˆ59.0, d.f.d.f.59.0, ˆ2,2, PP550.05).0.05). nature or mental state. For example, there virtual computer images 37%, duration As there were no mental illness references was a set of evil villains whose actions were

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occasionally classified by others as example, one Green Frog), acting as a de- Characters `twisted', `sick' or `nuts'. Mental illness refer- fence lawyer in court, saying `I rest my The characters, whether comic or villai- ences had a central implication that the case', put his briefcase on the table under nous, were stereotypically and blatantly character was losing control. Most such a sheet. Another character Go-Go), when negative and served as objects of amuse- references pointed either to an external asked what food) was being served pulled ment, derision or fear. This finding is con- stimulus or stressor ``you're starting to out a tennis racket and served a ball. sistent with an overwhelming negativity of drive me willy'') or to the illness originating Villainous behaviour was determined and depictions of mental illness in adult tele- in an unexplained fashion. The only excep- obsessive. Characters were shown with vision and film media Hyler et aletal, 1991;,1991; tion was provided by Pinky and the Brain clenched fists, hunched shoulders, and Signorielli, 1989; Wilson et aletal, 1999,1999bb).). where, in the title sequence, viewers were shaking fists or objects in the air. These The generic nature of the illnesses por- shown X-rays of Pinky's attenuated brain characters initiated evil ideas such as kid- trayed and the lack of specificity of symp- and the Brain's engorgedorgan, the results napping, attempted murder and building toms or diagnosis also invited the viewer of their time as laboratory subjects. an `alter-earth'. to generalise from the depictions to all men- tally ill individuals. We looked for, but did Character depictions not find, any positive attributes to those DISCUSSION who were consistently depicted as mentally In the sample six characters were consis- ill, apart from being a source of amusement tently identified as having a mental illness; for other characters, or perhaps the Limitations three served a comic role Go-Go, Green engorged brain of Brain. Nor did we find Fog, Pinky) and three were portrayed as As we have previously shown Wilson et aletal,, any understanding of the suffering that evil villains Brain, Hoit Gunterkrust, Dr 19991999aa), it is difficult to convey through mental illness involves, which may be a Von Trapp). All six were characters in car- words alone how mental illness is depicted consequence of a distancing from human toon episodes. All were animated and male, in the television medium when devices such experience with animated characters. only one was `human', the others were re- as music, sound effects, lighting, inter- Interestingly, although two characters spectively a bird-like creature, a frog, two textuality and their inter-relationships were shown hitting their heads, either mice and a robot. In their depictions some contribute. We were unable to include against a swinging light or with a hammer, physical attributes were commonly emphas- viewer age as a relevant variable because there were no references to substance use or ised. Teeth: top, bottom or both were there was no clear demarcation of the suicide within this sample. An aetiological widely spaced and in one character were targeted age of programmes e.g. pre-school perspective was also lacking other than rotting, producing bad breath. Other facial v.v. school age). Further, children may have occasional references to situational stres- features included a prominent nose, heavy different understandings of the references to sors or the limited biological model con- brows with thick, arched eye-brows, nar- mental illness presented here, and there is a veyed by the size of the brains of Pinky rowed or artificial eyes villains) or large possibility of bias towards over-inclusion ofof and the Brain. round eyes comic characters) and unruly references, particularly negative references, hair long and shaggy, tufted fur, thick by the adult raters. Increasing the size of Future actions and messy, bright orange curls). Extremi- the sample may have increased the range ties: hands and feet were large, often with Clearly such preliminary findings deserve of depictions of mental illness and more po- particularly long fingers. All of these char- replication. We will also need to learn sitive themes may have become identifiable. acters dressed up to some degree, the comic through reception studies what impact, if The results are, therefore,not necessarily characters much more so than the villains. any, such negative televised references and generalisable. Examples included middle-eastern costume, depictions have on children's appreciation top hats and suits, military and flight atten- of mental illness. We are not aware of any dant uniforms, tennis gear, a doctor's white studies that assess children's understand- coat and stethoscope, wigs, strait-jacket, VocabularyVo c a bula r y ings of terminology or of character depic- brightly-coloured shoes, vests and bow ties. Our findings demonstrate a high frequency tions in the media that are related to Behavioural attributes were somewhat of references to mental illness in children's mental illness. As this information becomes better defined across this group, depending television particularly during animated car- available, priorities can become established on whether the character functioned as the toons, with almost 50% of all of the pro- for interventions including working with comic or as the villain. The comic `insane' grammes surveyed containing references. media, developing regulations or standards characters were continuously engaged in Furthermore, the vocabulary was predomi- for production, and vetting of children's illogical and irrational actions such as nantly negative with a common implication television.television. hitting their head against a swinging light of loss of control. The frequent and casual and laughing Pinky), hand-cuffing the use of fundamentally disrespectful vocabu- REFERENCES jury in court Green Frog), hitting their lary such as crazy, mad, nuts, twisted, head with a hammer Go-Go) and sucking wacko or looney demonstrated for children Aitken, P. 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