Application Paper

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Introduction

I had the pleasure of watching the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The particular character that I studied was Chief Bromden who was played by Will Sampson. I diagnosed this particular character with Factitious Disorder because he is in direct lineup with someone who is feigning physical symptoms. These symptoms become apparent when we gain knowledge that he can actually hear and speak.

DSM Criterion

Factitious Disorder

Criterion A: Intentional production or feigning of physical or psychological signs or symptoms. Chief Bromden meets this criterion because he is pretending to be deaf and mute, but can actually talk. Patients with factitious disorder do not adhere to the following rules of being a patient. They do not attempt to give honest and accurate information regarding their medical history. Their symptoms are not in direct result from a accident, injury, or chance. They take medicine or medicines that can be harmful to their well-being. This would be the case for Chief Bromden. He has been in the mental hospital seeking treatment and subjected to electroshock and other torment and he does not appear to have had a accurate diagnosis, if any diagnosis at all. In all fairness, who knows why he’s there. I’m sure the staff or psychiatrists don’t know that he has factitious disorder because no one has yet figured out or knows that he can really hear and talk with the exception of McMurphy.

Criterion B: The motivation for the behavior is to assume the sick role. I believe Chief Bromden meets this specific criterion because he takes on the characteristics of factitious disorder, as a coping mechanism. This is perhaps the only way he is able to deal with his internal issues that may be a direct result of abuse or have possibly stemmed from having an alcoholic father. He does not seek out attention, but to the contrary. He wants no part of it. Then again maybe he likes the responses he gets when people are...