Intellectual Disability Through Film: The Other Sister

Introduction

This paper examines the subject of disability by analyzing the mass media representation of intellectual disability in the 1999 romantic comedy film The Other Sister. The film's protagonist, Carla Tate, is a 22-year-old American woman with a mild intellectual disability. She returns home to her wealthy family in California after receiving a certificate from a secluded private boarding school. Carla's parents feel guilty for having sent her away, and Carla's greatest challenge is coping with her overprotective, status-conscious mother, Elizabeth. Above all else, Carla wishes to be responsible and independent. After enrolling in a trade school course, she meets Daniel, a young man who also has an intellectual disability. Carla and Daniel grow close and eventually form a romantic relationship (Kantor, 2014).

Case Study: The Other Sister

The film focuses on Carla's return home and her pursuit of independence and responsibility despite her intellectual disability. It also portrays the realistic reactions and family dynamics that arise when a child has a cognitive impairment. Elizabeth Tate, Carla's mother, is initially presented as an overprotective parent who is embarrassed by Carla and deeply concerned with others' opinions. She eventually lets down her guard, defends Carla, and adopts a new attitude centered on her daughter's happiness. Radley Tate, Carla's father, struggles with excessive drinking and guilt over having sent Carla away; nonetheless, he is empathetic, consistently shows his daughter affection, defends her, and sides with her in most decisions. Carla's sisters also love her unconditionally and challenge their mother, insisting that Carla is no longer a child and is capable of independence.

Carla's boyfriend, Daniel, shares similar characteristics and loves her deeply — she is the only person who has fully accepted him and made him feel valued as a human being. By contrast, other students at the same school are depicted as highly negative; they mock Carla and refuse to treat her as an equal (Kantor, 2014).

Medical Profile of Intellectual Disability

Shea (2012) describes intellectual disability (ID) as a broad term for what was previously defined as mental retardation. It is a permanent disorder characterized by significant impairment of both adaptive and cognitive development, resulting from abnormalities in brain function or structure. ID is considered a generalized indicator of neurological dysfunction rather than a single discrete condition. Currently, terminology in this area is shifting: the phrase "mental retardation" (MR) is still used in some clinical settings and appears in public and legal policies that determine eligibility for support services, but the term "intellectual disability" is increasingly adopted as a direct replacement, largely because "mental retardation" is widely regarded as derogatory.

At every level of intellectual disability, a reduced IQ must be accompanied by deficits in adaptive functioning across social, practical, and conceptual domains. Social skills include interpersonal abilities, social problem-solving, and social judgment. Practical skills include occupational competencies, the ability to navigate the environment and access transportation safely, and personal care along with other activities of daily living. Conceptual skills include literacy, numeracy, language development, and understanding of money and time. A person with intellectual disability shows delayed development in which the sequence and pattern of development follow a typical order but at a slower pace and with limitations in the final level of achievement (Rillota, 2012).

According to Kantor (2014), IQ tests and measures of adaptive behavior are both used to assess intellectual disabilities. Carla displays signs of difficulties with social development and possibly attention, but she appears to have a mild form of intellectual disability: she is quite capable of self-care and of maintaining relationships. She also exhibits slow speech that is at times unclear, tends to be bluntly honest in ways that are sometimes socially inappropriate, and becomes upset when she feels others are laughing at her. After meeting Daniel — who shares her characteristics yet holds a job and lives independently — Carla is inspired to seek the same level of responsibility. Individuals with intellectual disabilities have significantly below-average IQ scores and impairments in adaptive behavior. The severity of impairment ranges from mild to profound; both Daniel and Carla experience mild impairment, which typically allows for independent living and working, as well as maintaining family relationships. Language impairments are also associated with intellectual disability, and individuals in the borderline or mild range are sometimes described informally as "slow."

Conclusion

Healthcare providers have a responsibility to support this particularly vulnerable population. We live in a society that too often discriminates on the basis of perceived intellectual value — a standpoint that is entirely unacceptable. All members of society share an obligation to ensure that every individual, including those with intellectual disabilities, receives appropriate and optimal healthcare and suitable education; that the right to provide assent and consent is always respected; and that every person has the opportunity to live a full and satisfying life at every stage of development. Pediatricians and other healthcare professionals can contribute at the individual, family, and community levels by identifying areas where additional opportunities or support are needed and by collaborating with others to help meet those needs. Dedicated treatment facilities also play an important role in the care of individuals with ID. For example, the Springbrook Behavioral Health Centre in South Carolina offers an Adult Inpatient Psychiatry unit staffed by experienced specialists equipped to serve this population (Shea, 2012).

References

Bhaumik, S., Gangadharan, S., Hiremath, A., & Russell, P. S. (2011). Psychological treatments in intellectual disability: The challenges of building a good evidence base. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 198(6), 428–430.

Kantor, J. (2014, November 18). The Other Sister. Retrieved November 25, 2016, from Prezi.

Parmenter, T. (2011). Promoting training and employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities: International experience. Retrieved from

Rillota, F. (2012, June). Intellectual disability. Special Education Resource Unit, 22(2), 1–46.

Shea, S. E. (2012). Intellectual disability (mental retardation). Pediatrics in Review, 33(3), 110–122.