Community Mental Health Journal Volume 2, Number 2, Summer, 1966
FILM
REVIEWS
A F i l m Series f o r P a r e n t E d u c a t i o n EDWARD A. MASON, M.D. Harvard Medical School Films have served parent meetings in many ways ranging from attractions to increase attendance to catalysts for an active and meaningful participation. The "one night stand," which includes a film and a guest speaker, has no more nor less likelihood of mental health educational value than a television panel discussion or a pamphlet distributed from the well child clinic. Each of these efforts forms a part of the network of community action toward the improvement of mental health. It is the coordination and accumulation of such efforts which promise the greatest impact. The opportunity for involvement has been acknowledged as the chief reason for bringing parents together for a series of meetings which are generally aimed at the needs of a specific group or are centered on a certain theme of common interest. Many organizations have made films an integral part of these series, choosing from among the standard available films titles appropriate to the subject of each meeting. To my knowledge, there is only one organization providing a series of films which deal with the usual parent concerns in a story which unfolds week after week as the audience becomes increasingly absorbed with the family and their problems. The John Tracy Clinic at 806 West Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles 7 has actually provided two series of Parent Education Films. One is called the In/ormation Series and contains nine 10 minute films for parents of preschool age deaf children. The Clinic specializes in the family approach to the understanding of the deaf. This series extends their efforts to groups interested in building communication skills in very young deaf children. One film, Talk, Talk, Talk illustrates the techniques par-
ents can learn to use in helping the deaf child associate an object with the movements of the lips while repeating its name. Some of the scenes in this series appear stilted. However, as long as the information is useful to the audience, there is less need for the plot to hold interest. The Parent Attitude Series will have wider application. This series of nine 10 minute films deals with psychological concerns of all parents, although it was made for the same parents of deaf children. The Johnson family includes two children, the youngest being Eric, age 3 89 who was discovered to be deaf during his second year. Although his handicap is one of the problems of this "normal" family, it does not become the focal point of the series. Parents seem to be able to transpose this to represent any other handicap which might concern them. Five year old Patty, the other child, demonstrates episodes in her day that echo the situations in all households of a preschool child. The focus is mainly on the parents and the story of one week in their lives. There is a complexity and building to a crisis not unlike a hectic time in any middle class family. Dick is preoccupied with his job, compulsively working overtime to earn a promotion hut meanwhile keeping his wife at a distance. Ann, correspondingly depressed by the lack of communication, puts extra effort into having a neat house and turns for solace to her neighbor friend, Helen Miller, who appears to be utterly competent and to have the ideal family. The events of the week include the sudden arrival of Dick's brother and the stirring of old sibling problems. Off stage, there are grandparents who play their parts in this drama as well. Together with the
177
178
THE COMMUNITYMENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL
recorded 20 minute lecture by Dr. Joseph Murray that accompanies each film and amplifies the points for discussion, there is ample material to start most parent groups on an hour or more of discussion. To many audiences, however, these recordings will be too wordy. Here is an example of the audio being lost without the visual component. Even more unfortunate is the all too familiar stance of the professional authority telling parents about their attitudes toward children. The films were made in 1962 by the Department of Cinema at the University of Southern California with support from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Each is introduced by a short statement from Mrs. Spencer Tracy, the Clinic President, whose aim is to make the message helpful to as many parents as possible. Flexibility with the material is possible, particularly in regard to omitting the recorded lecture material where it might be superfluous. Optimal use of the films would seem to encourage their being screened in sequence. To schools and clinics, the rental charge for the complete Attitude Series is $20, but there is no charge to independent parent groups. Perhaps the skeptic would liken these films to soap opera with its action and anticipation about outcome in a story that invites identification. There is also the contrast of the "good" vs. the "bad" parents, the common issues of how to handle a child's lying or stealing, and an interweaving of job, family, neighbors, past history, emotions, hardship, and crisis. With all of this the professional might hold up his hands in horror. The films are close to being trite and they do arouse an uneasy feeling, but this cannot be pinned on the acting, which is unusually successful. What may account for this is that so much attention is being paid to the "ordinary"; the realization that an ordinary family down the street has this much drama in its life is a bit sobering. In a way these are "sliceof-life" films which offer a vicarious experience in family problem solving. They have valid messages and should foster meaningful discussion.
The faults of the Attitude Series lie in their potential traps for the viewer. Parents may identify with the Johnsons and feel discouraged that so many problems pile up with such little insight. There are no laughs in the films. This may be true to character for the Johnsons, but it becomes progressively forbidding for viewers to identify with them enough to feel the same final achievement and hope for the future. Also, the Millers seem to be the ideal parents. Parent audiences may be all too ready to feel guilt and loss of confidence if they come out poorly in comparison with the Millers in childrearing techniques. The value of a film is not in its demonstrating the "right" way, but in its leading to profitable discussion and learning. The film is not the essential element of successful parent education, as has been well shown in the report by Hereford (1963). In his Parent-Child Relations Project in Austin, Texas, films used in groups were sometimes not discussed per se, even though they stimulated the discussion of the topic covered. Hereford concluded that the chief factor in this stimulus was the group cohesiveness and facilitation of discussion resulting from the immediate common experience of viewing the film. The work of Hereford emphasized the potential of the nonprofessional group leader in "eliminating the inhibitory influence that an expert automatically exerts" and fostering a free interchange among equals. His research supported the hypothesis that this interchange alters parent attitudes and in turn results in changes in their behavior and in the behavior of their children. He concluded that "the discussion method per se, not the leader, is the crucial e]ement." A report of The American Foundation for Continuing Education (1963) offers techniques developed for a more structured type of study discussion group. In this ambitious project one third of the pilot groups did not use films ("no facilities for showing," "no funds for rentals," "too difficult to obtain," or "preference for other forms of presentation") whereas two thirds of the groups did use films and considered
FILM REVIEWS them very effective ("enriching," "springboard for discussion," and "illustration of topic"). This program has a carefully prescribed course with warnings not to substitute other films than those suggested in the manual. Films selected were all made in 1957 or earlier. Perhaps the use of these films diminished in their discussion groups because they were out of date, but it might also have been a response to the Foundation's rigid recommendations. The structured approach may be useful for some groups, but flexibility and local automony would seem to increase the likelihood of meeting the needs of most parent meetings. As with any literature, there are relatively few films which perennially maintain their superiority to newer works. One must be alert to the new releases by reading reviews, sampling films at professional meetings and having reference material at hand. For parent education, the listing by the Children's Bureau (1965) gives a brief indication about many films and is periodically revised. Another source is Human Re.
179
lations Aids (104 East 25th Street, New York 10010) from which subscribers receive packets with reports on new films as well as other publications of interest to community educators. Although attention must be paid to their choice, it must be remembered that the impact depends not only on the quality of the films but also on the skill of the person leading the discussion, and perhaps even more on the ability of the parents themselves to share experiences and to use the meetings to foster their confidence in child rearing. REFERENCES AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION. Manual ]or group leaders and participants from "Parenthood in a Free Nation" Series. New
York: Macmillan Co., 1963. CHII~REN'S B[m~AU. Selected films on child li]e, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing
Office, Revised 1965. HEREFORD, C. 17. Changing
parental attitudes
through group discussion. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1953.
COMMUNITY PSYCHIATRY E d i t e d by L e i g h M . R o b e r t s , S e y m o u r L . H a l l e c k , and M a r t i n B. L o e b Proceedings of an interdisciplinary symposium held at Madison, Wisconsin, June, 1964, to discuss the evolving field of community psychiatry in an attempt to clarify its definition in theoretical terms and in respect to practical application. It contains three sections: I Community Psychiatry and Social Values; II Community Psychiatry in Practice; and III Community Psychiatry in Perspective.
256 pages.
~6.00 THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN PRESS Post Office Box 1379 Madison, Wisconsin 53701
'PRESS
FILM
REVIEWS
A F i l m Series f o r P a r e n t E d u c a t i o n EDWARD A. MASON, M.D. Harvard Medical School Films have served parent meetings in many ways ranging from attractions to increase attendance to catalysts for an active and meaningful participation. The "one night stand," which includes a film and a guest speaker, has no more nor less likelihood of mental health educational value than a television panel discussion or a pamphlet distributed from the well child clinic. Each of these efforts forms a part of the network of community action toward the improvement of mental health. It is the coordination and accumulation of such efforts which promise the greatest impact. The opportunity for involvement has been acknowledged as the chief reason for bringing parents together for a series of meetings which are generally aimed at the needs of a specific group or are centered on a certain theme of common interest. Many organizations have made films an integral part of these series, choosing from among the standard available films titles appropriate to the subject of each meeting. To my knowledge, there is only one organization providing a series of films which deal with the usual parent concerns in a story which unfolds week after week as the audience becomes increasingly absorbed with the family and their problems. The John Tracy Clinic at 806 West Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles 7 has actually provided two series of Parent Education Films. One is called the In/ormation Series and contains nine 10 minute films for parents of preschool age deaf children. The Clinic specializes in the family approach to the understanding of the deaf. This series extends their efforts to groups interested in building communication skills in very young deaf children. One film, Talk, Talk, Talk illustrates the techniques par-
ents can learn to use in helping the deaf child associate an object with the movements of the lips while repeating its name. Some of the scenes in this series appear stilted. However, as long as the information is useful to the audience, there is less need for the plot to hold interest. The Parent Attitude Series will have wider application. This series of nine 10 minute films deals with psychological concerns of all parents, although it was made for the same parents of deaf children. The Johnson family includes two children, the youngest being Eric, age 3 89 who was discovered to be deaf during his second year. Although his handicap is one of the problems of this "normal" family, it does not become the focal point of the series. Parents seem to be able to transpose this to represent any other handicap which might concern them. Five year old Patty, the other child, demonstrates episodes in her day that echo the situations in all households of a preschool child. The focus is mainly on the parents and the story of one week in their lives. There is a complexity and building to a crisis not unlike a hectic time in any middle class family. Dick is preoccupied with his job, compulsively working overtime to earn a promotion hut meanwhile keeping his wife at a distance. Ann, correspondingly depressed by the lack of communication, puts extra effort into having a neat house and turns for solace to her neighbor friend, Helen Miller, who appears to be utterly competent and to have the ideal family. The events of the week include the sudden arrival of Dick's brother and the stirring of old sibling problems. Off stage, there are grandparents who play their parts in this drama as well. Together with the
177
178
THE COMMUNITYMENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL
recorded 20 minute lecture by Dr. Joseph Murray that accompanies each film and amplifies the points for discussion, there is ample material to start most parent groups on an hour or more of discussion. To many audiences, however, these recordings will be too wordy. Here is an example of the audio being lost without the visual component. Even more unfortunate is the all too familiar stance of the professional authority telling parents about their attitudes toward children. The films were made in 1962 by the Department of Cinema at the University of Southern California with support from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Each is introduced by a short statement from Mrs. Spencer Tracy, the Clinic President, whose aim is to make the message helpful to as many parents as possible. Flexibility with the material is possible, particularly in regard to omitting the recorded lecture material where it might be superfluous. Optimal use of the films would seem to encourage their being screened in sequence. To schools and clinics, the rental charge for the complete Attitude Series is $20, but there is no charge to independent parent groups. Perhaps the skeptic would liken these films to soap opera with its action and anticipation about outcome in a story that invites identification. There is also the contrast of the "good" vs. the "bad" parents, the common issues of how to handle a child's lying or stealing, and an interweaving of job, family, neighbors, past history, emotions, hardship, and crisis. With all of this the professional might hold up his hands in horror. The films are close to being trite and they do arouse an uneasy feeling, but this cannot be pinned on the acting, which is unusually successful. What may account for this is that so much attention is being paid to the "ordinary"; the realization that an ordinary family down the street has this much drama in its life is a bit sobering. In a way these are "sliceof-life" films which offer a vicarious experience in family problem solving. They have valid messages and should foster meaningful discussion.
The faults of the Attitude Series lie in their potential traps for the viewer. Parents may identify with the Johnsons and feel discouraged that so many problems pile up with such little insight. There are no laughs in the films. This may be true to character for the Johnsons, but it becomes progressively forbidding for viewers to identify with them enough to feel the same final achievement and hope for the future. Also, the Millers seem to be the ideal parents. Parent audiences may be all too ready to feel guilt and loss of confidence if they come out poorly in comparison with the Millers in childrearing techniques. The value of a film is not in its demonstrating the "right" way, but in its leading to profitable discussion and learning. The film is not the essential element of successful parent education, as has been well shown in the report by Hereford (1963). In his Parent-Child Relations Project in Austin, Texas, films used in groups were sometimes not discussed per se, even though they stimulated the discussion of the topic covered. Hereford concluded that the chief factor in this stimulus was the group cohesiveness and facilitation of discussion resulting from the immediate common experience of viewing the film. The work of Hereford emphasized the potential of the nonprofessional group leader in "eliminating the inhibitory influence that an expert automatically exerts" and fostering a free interchange among equals. His research supported the hypothesis that this interchange alters parent attitudes and in turn results in changes in their behavior and in the behavior of their children. He concluded that "the discussion method per se, not the leader, is the crucial e]ement." A report of The American Foundation for Continuing Education (1963) offers techniques developed for a more structured type of study discussion group. In this ambitious project one third of the pilot groups did not use films ("no facilities for showing," "no funds for rentals," "too difficult to obtain," or "preference for other forms of presentation") whereas two thirds of the groups did use films and considered
FILM REVIEWS them very effective ("enriching," "springboard for discussion," and "illustration of topic"). This program has a carefully prescribed course with warnings not to substitute other films than those suggested in the manual. Films selected were all made in 1957 or earlier. Perhaps the use of these films diminished in their discussion groups because they were out of date, but it might also have been a response to the Foundation's rigid recommendations. The structured approach may be useful for some groups, but flexibility and local automony would seem to increase the likelihood of meeting the needs of most parent meetings. As with any literature, there are relatively few films which perennially maintain their superiority to newer works. One must be alert to the new releases by reading reviews, sampling films at professional meetings and having reference material at hand. For parent education, the listing by the Children's Bureau (1965) gives a brief indication about many films and is periodically revised. Another source is Human Re.
179
lations Aids (104 East 25th Street, New York 10010) from which subscribers receive packets with reports on new films as well as other publications of interest to community educators. Although attention must be paid to their choice, it must be remembered that the impact depends not only on the quality of the films but also on the skill of the person leading the discussion, and perhaps even more on the ability of the parents themselves to share experiences and to use the meetings to foster their confidence in child rearing. REFERENCES AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION. Manual ]or group leaders and participants from "Parenthood in a Free Nation" Series. New
York: Macmillan Co., 1963. CHII~REN'S B[m~AU. Selected films on child li]e, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing
Office, Revised 1965. HEREFORD, C. 17. Changing
parental attitudes
through group discussion. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1953.
COMMUNITY PSYCHIATRY E d i t e d by L e i g h M . R o b e r t s , S e y m o u r L . H a l l e c k , and M a r t i n B. L o e b Proceedings of an interdisciplinary symposium held at Madison, Wisconsin, June, 1964, to discuss the evolving field of community psychiatry in an attempt to clarify its definition in theoretical terms and in respect to practical application. It contains three sections: I Community Psychiatry and Social Values; II Community Psychiatry in Practice; and III Community Psychiatry in Perspective.
256 pages.
~6.00 THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN PRESS Post Office Box 1379 Madison, Wisconsin 53701
'PRESS
