Running head: ABDNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: CASE STUDY

Abnormal Psychology: Case Study

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4/29/16

ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: CASE STUDY

What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) was a movie that showed psychological disabilities
among the characters, especially Arnie and his brother Gilbert. Gilbert's 18-year-old younger
brother named Arnie comes on the scene at the start of the movie. Even though he is never
diagnosed his Arnies behavior suggests psychological retardation. The feature basically puts the
attention on his older brother, Gilbert, and the rest of those in the community. As stated by the
Center for Disease Control and Prevention ( In Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
2015), a disability is defined as a group of conditions that are developmental. These disorders
are caused by the deficiency of physical and behavioral conditions. These disorders often affect a
persons learning and language abilities. Psychological disorders affect one in seven children in
the United States and in Canada. Fiore (2011) discovered that the incidence of mental issues in
the United States and Canada children is among males. Furthermore, he found out that these
males had a greater prevalence over numerous disabilities when associated with women. The
research showed that Latino children prevalence was lower when paralleled with white and
African-American children. Most of these families come from low income homes that did not
have and health insurance. Most of the times those that had a lack of health insurance had higher
prevalence. However, the movie also dealt with other psychological problems such as the
extreme emotional detachment that Gilbert Grape had. Most of the characters show that the
mental effects of a broken home and the hardships a person goes through in trying to overcome
it.
It is clear that Gilbert cares a lot about his brother, Arnie. In the movie, Gilbert sort of
distance himself away from his family so he can handle this stressful situation. Arnie is special
to him, but it is hard to tell sometimes since he is constantly calling his brother as "retarded,".

ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: CASE STUDY

From the movie, Gilbert's attitude in regards to his brother appears to be irritation. He is cordial
to the rest of the family. Gilbert cannot stand his mother because she is extremely overweight. In
the movie he calls her walrus. It appears that Gilbert had clear animosity towards and other
family members (Hallstrm, 1993). This hostility for his family is weakened in the film by
Johnny Depp's depiction of Gilbert. Even though his representation is softer, the uncaring
feelings for his family are still repeated as he forces a child to watch his unhealthily obese
mother through a window.
In Gilbert's estimation, his mother gave birth to problem children. He refuses to have any
kind of association with any of them except Arnie and Amy. It is not clear why the two eldest
Grape children are absent. It is possible that they hold hostility themselves, Gilbert talks to these
siblings cautiously (Hallstrm, 1993). He despises his sister Ellen for her deep-seated emphasis
on external beauty and nature that is shallow. These negative emotional states merely rise as
Gilbert catches Ellen mishandling Arnie. Even though his thoughts are motivated by anger, his
sentiments of disgust for Ellen exemplify the detachment he gets from his family.
The stress of everything affects him psychologically. In his aloof condition, Gilbert
regularly does not allow himself to have fun. He refuses pleasure or involvement in family
situations. Gilbert has a problem with lying to them about his true feelings. In the end, it juts
pushes them further away. Because his mother is overweight, he refuses to eat because he thinks
he will become just like her. When they take a family trip to Burger Barn Gilbert is the only one
that does not eat, he only drinks water. Gilbert snub of eating meals with his family is symbolic
of rejecting the family. Even though his general stress could give to his loss of hunger, he
displays this refusal by actively eating meals while away from home in circumstances like the

ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: CASE STUDY

mealtime with Becky's grandma or even the chicken dinner given to him by another character in
the movie.
The movie showed that Piagets sensorimotor stage. This stage starts when a child is born.
During this stage, kids sensory experiences with the environment starts to develop into patterns
that lead to thoughts that are dissimilar. Also, object stability matures all through this stage; as
talked about by Piaget. In this stage, children believe that objects occur merely when they are
observing it. Arnie Grape appears to grasp and understand that objects do not stop to be real even
if hes not attentive to them (Hallstrm, 1993). When Gilbert leaves the area angry after beating
him, Arnie is still conscious of Gilberts presence and is still aware of what has happened.
Another significant feature of the sensorimotor phase is that of symbolic depiction. Kids learn to
envisage and reason about something that is not actually current. This is seen in this instance,
with Arnie still being conscious of what has happened and imagines this when it is not existing.
Deferred imitation also occurs in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Gilbert continually prompts
Arnie about telling people thank you. Gilbert has also taught Arnie to meet people; Arnie learns
all of this through imitation of his brother.
Arnies disorder is looked at as being chronic and most of the time co-happens with other
psychological conditions such as depression, and autism spectrum condition. The movie clearly
shows that Arnie has multiple signs of developmental intervals. For example, he needs to be
continuously observed, and he appreciates the peek-a-boo game. He is way too old to be
playing a game that is for younger children. His family has to constantly tell, as you are a big
boy in order to make him feel older (Hallstrm, 1993). Arnie is set in this innocent mind frame
where he develops security from simple childhood melodies, and senses the necessity to

ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: CASE STUDY

continuously be piggy backed by Gilbert. Arnie likewise does not comprehend how hiking the
water tower is dangerous.
Arnie is also lacks many features of the real-world domain like the basic adaptive tasks.
He is not able to accomplish easy everyday tasks. For instance, Gilbert has to watch him and
take bathes, and put him down to sleep. Velcro shoes are worn by Arnie, for the reason that he
merely is not able tie his own shoes. He does not recognize how to correctly utilize silverware.
Arnie is not able to go anywhere unconfirmed, which makes him powerless to go to school.
Arnie is unaware of social rules or how to learn them. Arnie screams DAD DEAD when
somebody mentions anything about his father who died (Hallstrm, 1993). He basically just does
not appear to understand the circumstance of his words, and how they have an effect on those
around him.
Arnie does not understand the distraught look on his mothers face as she yells, and he is
not able to figure out why a person would be upset with him enjoying himself. Arnie has a selfabsorbed interpretation of the world. It is evident, that he is not able to see the world through
another individuals eyes nor feel sympathy in the direction of other peoples emotional state.
This awareness is acknowledged as egocentrism. This condition is a key perception in the
preoperational stage of expansion. Arnie social communication with other children is similarly
very cooperated (Hallstrm, 1993). This can be seen when Arnie expresses to a boy that he is is
not able to come to his gathering, or when he stares at women and makes these odd sounds.
Arnie struggles to comprehend that he is doing something improper. Arnie is does not have good
communication. Arnie talks in the third person and his speech is muddled.
In conclusion it is clear that the movie showed Gilbert unusual detachment from his
family and Arnies autism. At this time, there is no treatment for an intellectual developmental

ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: CASE STUDY

disability like Arnie, but there is treatment for Gilbert depression. I believe the use of different
programs and services, or a mixture should be able to help Arnie.

References