Using commercially available films to teach about borderline personality disorder

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry Education
• Clinical Psychology
• Film Studies

Background:

• Commercial films offer a unique medium for illustrating complex psychological concepts.
• Medical education increasingly incorporates diverse resources beyond traditional textbooks.
• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) presents diagnostic challenges that benefit from varied teaching approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of commercial films in teaching psychiatric trainees about Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).
• To provide specific recommendations for using films to demonstrate DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for BPD.
• To compile a list of films suitable for educational purposes in psychiatry.

Main Methods:

• Review of commercial films for their depiction of BPD characteristics.
• Identification of specific scenes and characters relevant to BPD diagnostic criteria.
• Development of a curated list of 33 films for teaching purposes.

Main Results:

• Commercial films can effectively illustrate key aspects of BPD, including emotional dysregulation, interpersonal difficulties, and identity disturbance.
• Specific film examples are provided to map onto DSM-IV criteria for BPD.
• A comprehensive list of 33 films is presented for educators.

Conclusions:

• Commercial films serve as a valuable and accessible resource for teaching medical students and residents about BPD.
• Integrating film analysis into psychiatric training can enhance understanding and diagnosis of BPD.
• The recommended films provide concrete examples for illustrating the nuances of BPD in an engaging manner.