531838 research-article2014
APY0010.1177/1039856214531838Australasian Psychiatry
Australasian
Psychiatry
Film Review
Australasian Psychiatry 2014, Vol 22(3) 304 © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav apy.sagepub.com
Vicarious learning for children to be thoughtful, an opportunity not to be missed – “Frozen” All psychiatrists including subspecialties may see children in clinic. Wit and referring to something that children like may help connecting with a child in clinic. Good rapport helps with therapy. Sometimes we have to grasp opportunities and know about “what is up”, what our clients find of interest generally, to maximise building rapport. “Frozen”,1 the new Disney blockbuster, movie is such an opportunity. I suggest it can assist if doctors know about “Frozen” to make maximum use of the occasion. Australia’s children already know this movie. The story is fairly typical, building on Andersen fairy tales. I find this contemporaneous, post-20th century emancipation, interpretation of an old tale, written up originally in 19th-century patriarchal Denmark, gains with Disney team input. The relevant point for vicarious learning
and child behaviour management (CBM) is the reflective ability of Elsa. She learns to proficiently control her vicious power and temper. Elsa is older princess sister to Anna. Elsa is heir to the throne. However, if Elsa does not control expressed emotions “cryokinesis” gets out of control: pretty much everything freezes. The useful point here is vicarious learning. In the first part and at the happy end of the movie, Elsa learns to control and maintain her emotions. Patients have an opportunity to see benefits of not losing temper – and parents at that time have the opportunity for vicarious praise: parental commenting on Elsa’s, in professional terms, executive ability likely is a good leaning point for a child. Adults catching the child at an attentive moment and making a positive statement about Elsa restraining her impulse can be an efficacious learning point for the child. I suppose such an “intervention” may add to already wellknown CBM training such as triple P,2 incredible years3 or 1-2-3 magic.4
However, I do not suggest that giving children the opportunity for vicarious praise by commenting on “Frozen” can replace usual CBM. The middle part of the movie is about a rescue operation; the reason being Elsa did not control her impulsivity and is doomed. This can be a good learning point for a child to think about too. Direct and indirect vicarious praise can assist with behavioural modification. Frozen can be used for this purpose. References 1. Frozen. http://movies.disney.com/frozen (accessed 12 March 2014). 2. Triple P. Positive Parenting Program, http://www.triplep.net/glo-en/home/ (accessed 12 March 2014). 3. The Incredible Years. Parents, teacher and children training series, http://incredibleyears.com/ (accessed 12 March 2014). 4. 1-2-3 Magic Parenting. http://www.123magic.com/ (accessed 12 March 2014).
Klaus Martin Beckmann Griffith University, QLD, Australia DOI: 10.1177/1039856214531838
304 Downloaded from apy.sagepub.com at University of Manitoba Libraries on June 25, 2015
APY0010.1177/1039856214531838Australasian Psychiatry
Australasian
Psychiatry
Film Review
Australasian Psychiatry 2014, Vol 22(3) 304 © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav apy.sagepub.com
Vicarious learning for children to be thoughtful, an opportunity not to be missed – “Frozen” All psychiatrists including subspecialties may see children in clinic. Wit and referring to something that children like may help connecting with a child in clinic. Good rapport helps with therapy. Sometimes we have to grasp opportunities and know about “what is up”, what our clients find of interest generally, to maximise building rapport. “Frozen”,1 the new Disney blockbuster, movie is such an opportunity. I suggest it can assist if doctors know about “Frozen” to make maximum use of the occasion. Australia’s children already know this movie. The story is fairly typical, building on Andersen fairy tales. I find this contemporaneous, post-20th century emancipation, interpretation of an old tale, written up originally in 19th-century patriarchal Denmark, gains with Disney team input. The relevant point for vicarious learning
and child behaviour management (CBM) is the reflective ability of Elsa. She learns to proficiently control her vicious power and temper. Elsa is older princess sister to Anna. Elsa is heir to the throne. However, if Elsa does not control expressed emotions “cryokinesis” gets out of control: pretty much everything freezes. The useful point here is vicarious learning. In the first part and at the happy end of the movie, Elsa learns to control and maintain her emotions. Patients have an opportunity to see benefits of not losing temper – and parents at that time have the opportunity for vicarious praise: parental commenting on Elsa’s, in professional terms, executive ability likely is a good leaning point for a child. Adults catching the child at an attentive moment and making a positive statement about Elsa restraining her impulse can be an efficacious learning point for the child. I suppose such an “intervention” may add to already wellknown CBM training such as triple P,2 incredible years3 or 1-2-3 magic.4
However, I do not suggest that giving children the opportunity for vicarious praise by commenting on “Frozen” can replace usual CBM. The middle part of the movie is about a rescue operation; the reason being Elsa did not control her impulsivity and is doomed. This can be a good learning point for a child to think about too. Direct and indirect vicarious praise can assist with behavioural modification. Frozen can be used for this purpose. References 1. Frozen. http://movies.disney.com/frozen (accessed 12 March 2014). 2. Triple P. Positive Parenting Program, http://www.triplep.net/glo-en/home/ (accessed 12 March 2014). 3. The Incredible Years. Parents, teacher and children training series, http://incredibleyears.com/ (accessed 12 March 2014). 4. 1-2-3 Magic Parenting. http://www.123magic.com/ (accessed 12 March 2014).
Klaus Martin Beckmann Griffith University, QLD, Australia DOI: 10.1177/1039856214531838
304 Downloaded from apy.sagepub.com at University of Manitoba Libraries on June 25, 2015
