@article{ref1,
title="Based on a true story? The portrayal of ECT in international movies and television programs",
journal="Brain stimulation",
year="2016",
author="Sienaert, Pascal",
volume="9",
number="6",
pages="882-891",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Movies and television (TV) programs are an important source of public information about ECT. <br><br>OBJECTIVE: To narratively review the portrayal of ECT in international movies and TV programs from 1948 until present. <br><br>METHODS: Several Internet movie databases and a database of phrases appearing in movies and TV programs were searched, supplemented with a Medline-search. No language restrictions were applied. <br><br>RESULTS: ECT was portrayed in 52 movies (57 scenes), 21 TV programs (23 scenes), and 2 animated sitcoms (2 scenes). In movies, the main indication for ECT is behavioral control or torture (17/57, 29.8%), whereas in TV programs, the most frequent indication is erasing memories (7/25, 28%). In most scenes (47/82; 57.3%) ECT is given without consent, and without anesthesia (59/82; 72%). Unmodified ECT is depicted more frequently in American scenes (48/64, 75%), as opposed to scenes from other countries (11/18; 64.7%). Bilateral electrode placement is used in almost all (89%, 73/82) scenes. The vast majority of movies (46/57, 80.7%) and TV programs (18/25, 72%) show a negative and inaccurate image of the treatment. <br><br>CONCLUSION(S): In the majority of scenes, ECT is used as a metaphor for repression, mind and behavior control, and is shown as a memory-erasing, painful and damaging treatment, adding to the stigma already associated with ECT. Only a few exceptions paint a truthful picture of this indispensable treatment in modern psychiatry.<br><br>Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1935-861X",
doi="10.1016/j.brs.2016.07.005",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2016.07.005"
}