Representation of autistic characters in TV series: Reality or fiction?
At the Research Centre Transitional Psychiatry at Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, researchers are focusing on media and video games, among other things: As part of a study, the media representation of mental health and the potential stigmatisation of autism were examined. The results show that the participants tend to favour series in which characters with high or special talents are portrayed - in comparison to more realistic representations of autism
In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the portrayal of autistic characters or people with autistic symptoms in mainstream series. While research calls for a more realistic presentation, little is known about viewers' attitudes towards this topic. "We therefore used an online questionnaire to analyse data from 348 young adults on their media consumption in relation to 15 different series with autistic characters. An emotion recognition task (ERT) was also carried out. The focus of the study was on the recognition of emotions through facial expressions and features," explains Dr Verena Steiner-Hofbauer, Head of the Research Centre Transitional Psychiatry at KL and author of the study.
The data collected in the course of a study on media consumption and self-diagnosis of autism was analysed in a secondary data analysis. The aim of the secondary data analysis was to investigate possible correlations between media consumption behaviour and individual personality traits. "As this was an exploratory study, we deliberately did not formulate any specific hypotheses," explains Verena Steiner-Hofbauer. Instead, the focus was on two central research questions: How does consumer behaviour with regard to media content featuring autistic characters develop within the general population? And: Can correlations be established between the consumption of such content and certain characteristics of the characters depicted - such as gender or the presence of savant abilities - as well as characteristics of the recipients such as gender or autistic tendencies?
The results show that the participants tend to favour series in which characters with high or special talents are portrayed - in comparison to more realistic representations of autism. Interestingly, it was also found that people who scored lower on the emotion recognition task tended to consume significantly more programmes that focus on a more realistic or documentary portrayal of autism and in which exceptional talents are less prominent. The results suggest that stigmatising content could be influenced by viewers' preferences.
Commercial entertainment versus reality
The study also shows that TV shows with a realistic portrayal - such as "The Bridge" - are more frequently consumed by people with low ERT values. For people on the autism spectrum, it is particularly important to experience characters on television with whom they can identify and build a connection. Realistic representations of people with autism could help to promote a destigmatising awareness among the general public and create more understanding through interest.
At the same time, the highly commercialised media landscape is dependent on viewing figures and audience success, as the scientist emphasises: "The entertainment industry has to develop characters that appeal to the widest possible audience. However, this can lead to an area of tension - between the authentic, technically sound representation of autism and the expectations of a broad audience". For future research, this means shedding more light on the connection between social attitudes towards mental illness and how it is portrayed in the media. According to the expert, this also applies to video games, which reach a diverse and broad audience. In 2024, around 1.13 billion people used online games - on average up to 12.39 hours per week. "In another study, however, we found no correlation between game duration, the number of titles played and stigmatising attitudes towards mental illness."
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