"Antwone Fisher": how dangerous is "Dr Wonderful"?
OBJECTIVE
To describe the style of psychotherapy portrayed in the film "Antwone Fisher". The rationale for this examination is that prospective patients often have little idea about what the process of psychotherapy may involve; depictions of therapy in popular films and on television serve to "prime" our patients' expectations in this regard.


CONCLUSIONS
The film in question shows a psychiatrist who might be readily perceived as unambiguously good by a lay audience, despite a number of clear therapeutic boundary violations occurring throughout the film. Although such positive depictions might enhance the public image of psychiatry, they have the potential to create unreal expectations within patients and to promote the acceptability of boundary violations.
Macfarlane
Stephen
S
Department of Psychiatry, Frankston Hospital, Hastings Road, Frankston, Victoria 3199, Australia. stevemacf@optusnet.com.au
D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D006801:Humans; D009040:Motion Pictures; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011570:Psychiatry; D011613:Psychotherapy; D011639:Public Opinion; D012718:Set, Psychology