Honors Projects

Abstract

Evidence-based treatments of trauma require clinicians to base their treatments on the client’s specific and individual needs, experiences, cognitions, and place in recovery. Essentially, each new client is a new and unique case, and the practice of understanding how trauma may affect an individual only comes from clinical exposure.Literature provides the public with somewhat of an aid in these circumstances: fictional characters are not real people, and therefore can undergo limitless character analyses. Analyzing a fictional character allows clinicians the ability to practice their exploration of various behavioral indicators of mental health concerns while honoring the ethical code of non-maleficence, or causing no harm to real individuals. Furthermore, clients who tend to relate to fictional characters based on their mental health may be further helped by clinicians who can analyze and understand said character in hopes of finding any links between the character and client. This essay aims to exemplify the practice of applying real-world knowledge of trauma and its influence on an individual to a fictional character (Sirius Black from the Harry Potter franchise) through an analysis of the character’s trauma.

Department

Psychology

Major

Psychology

First Advisor

Paul Standinger

First Advisor Department

Human Development and Family Studies

Second Advisor

Simon Morgan-Russell

Second Advisor Department

English

Publication Date

Spring 4-17-2024

Download

Share

COinS