Rowan University Rowan Digital Works Theses and Dissertations 5-14-2009 A content analysis of young adult novels featuring mentally and emotionally disabled characters Lisa L. Ballistreri Rowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd Part of the Library and Information Science Commons Recommended Citation Ballistreri, Lisa L., "A content analysis of young adult novels featuring mentally and emotionally disabled characters" (2009). Theses and Dissertations. 595. https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/595 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Rowan Digital Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Rowan Digital Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF YOUNG ADULT NOVELS FEATURING MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY DISABLED CHARACTERS by Lisa L. Ballistreri. A Thesis Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Arts Degree of The Graduate School at Rowan University May 11, 2009 Approved b Advisor C Date Approved. INA ±_I1 IZOOD ©02009 Lisa L. allistreri ABSTRACT Lisa L. Ballistreri A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF YOUNG ADULT NOVELS FEATURING MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY DISABLED CHARACTERS 2008/09 Dr. Marilyn Shontz Master of Arts in School and Public Librarianship The purpose of this study was to closely examine twenty works of young adult fiction that featured a character with either a mental or emotional disability. Specifically, it addressed the following research questions: 1.) What percentage of the books evaluated portrayed the disabled character as a major character or a supporting character? 2.) What percentage of the books were written from or included the disabled character's point-of- view? 3.) What percentage of the books portrayed the disabled character as a dynamic as opposed to a static character? 4.) Did the character's disability play a major role or a minor role in the story's plot? 5.) Were the symptoms, treatments, and side effects of the featured disability accurate and believable? Conclusions showed that the majority of the novels portrayed the character as both a major and dynamic character and the story was told from the main character's point-of-view. Additionally, the disabilities played a major role in the story's plot in all twenty novels evaluated. Lastly, the researcher found that most of the novels included the symptoms of the disabilities presented but shied away from going into detail their subsequent treatments. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Introduction and Importance.........................1 Purpose of Study ...................................... 2 Research Questions ................... 2 Definitions of Terms .............................. 2 Assumptions and Limitations .......................................... References ...................................... 6 II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE References ................................... 11 III. METHODOLOGY References......................................14 IV. ANALYSIS OF DATA Major vs. Supporting Character..................................15 Character Point-of-View ............................ 16 Character Developm ent...............................................17 Plot Developm ent.....................................................19 Accuracy of the Disability Portrayed..............................20 R eferences..............................................................23 V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Conclusions....................................24 Recommendations for Further Study........................26 REFERENCE LIST.................................27 APPENDIX A-NOVEL EVALUATIONS..... ............ 30 iii CHAPTER I STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Introduction and Importance In the winter of 2003, Mary Anne Prater authored a journal article that examined how children and young adults with learning disabilities are represented in both children's and adolescent literature. During her research process, Prater examined ninety fictional books that included at least one character with a learning disability. Guided by four precise research questions, Prater was able to determine the ways in which juvenile literature portrayed characters with learning disabilities in terms of character importance (main vs. supporting), character development (dynamic vs. supporting), and from whose perspective the story was told. Additionally, several similar investigative studies and articles have been conducted to examine the portrayal of adolescents afflicted with various physical disabilities. However, very little research has been done in the area of young adult literature featuring characters with mental and emotional disabilities. As noted in a fact sheet authored by The National Mental Health Awareness Campaign (2008), it was revealed that one out of five children and adolescents suffer from mental illness. Additionally, most of the severe mental illnesses start showing symptoms in the teenage years. Since it is estimated that there are approximately two million adolescents currently suffering with some type of mental illness, it is essential that young adult literature 1 features characters who face the daily struggles and conflicts presented to those suffering from mental illness. It is also imperative that research is done to measure the merit and quality of the literature available to young adult readers. Purpose of Study The purpose of this study was to closely examine twenty works of young adult fiction that featured a character with either a mental or emotional disability. Additionally, the chosen works of fiction were evaluated based upon a pre-set list of research questions to judge the treatment of the character(s) featured who suffered from the disability. Research Questions 1. What percentage of the books evaluated portrayed the disabled character as a major character or a supporting character? 2. What percentage of the books were written from or included the disabled character's point-of-view? 3. What percentage of the books portrayed the disabled character as a dynamic as opposed to a static character? 4. Did the character's disability play a major or minor role in the story's plot? 5. Were the symptoms, treatments, and side effects of the featured disability accurate and believable? Definition of Terms Young adult: For the purpose of this study, a young adult refers to an individual between the ages of eleven and eighteen. Young adult literature: "Literature written for young people age eleven to eighteen and books marketed young adult by a publisher," (Lynch-Brown & Tomlinson, 2007, p. 4). 2 Protagonist: "The main character of the story who will be a fully described, complex individual who possesses both good and bad traits," (Lynch-Brown & Tomlinson, 2007, p. 25). Minor or secondary characters: "These are characters described less fully then the protagonist. The extent of description depends on what the reader needs to know about the character for a full understanding of the story," (Lynch-Brown & Tomlinson, 2007, p. 25). Dynamic characters: "A character that undergoes changes during the course of events in the story," (Lynch-Brown & Tomlinson, 2007, p. 25). Static characters:"A character that does not experience basic character changes during the course of the story," (ReadWriteThink, 2008). Mental illness: "Any of various disorders characterized chiefly by abnormal behavior or an inability to function socially, including diseases of the mind and personality and certain diseases of the brain," (The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary, 2006). Disability: "A disadvantage or deficiency, especially a physical or mental impairment that interferes with or prevents normal achievement in a particular area," (The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary, 2006). Mental disability: Synonymous with mental illness. Emotional illness: "A psychological disorder characterized by emotional and uncontrollable fears, persistent anxiety, or extreme hostility," (The American Heritage Stedman 's Medical Dictionary, 2006). Emotional disability: Synonymous with emotional illness. 3 Depression. "Depression is a serious medical illness that negatively affects how a person feels, the way they think and how they act. Depression has a variety of symptoms, but the most common are a deep feeling of sadness or a marked lost of interest and pleasure in activities," (American Psychiatric Association, 2005). Schizophrenia: "Any of a group of psychotic disorders characterized by withdrawal from reality, illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, and hallucinations, and accompanied in varying degrees by other emotional, behavioral, or intellectual disturbances," (The American HeritageStedman 's Medical Dictionary, 2006). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: "A psychoneurotic disorder in which the patient is beset with obsessions or compulsions or both and suffers extreme anxiety or depression through failure to think the obsessive thoughts or perform the compelling acts," (Merriam-Webster'sMedical Dictionary, 2002). Selective Mutism: "A childhood anxiety disorder characterized by a child or adolescent's inability to speak in one or more social settings," (Selective Mutism Group, 2008). Psychiatrichospital: "A hospital for the care and the treatment of patients affected with acute or chronic mental illness," (The American Heritage Stedman 's Medical Dictionary, 2006). Assumptions and Limitations There were two major limitations that affected this study. Lacking any