Getting in Touch With Adverse Childhood Experiences in Film

By Susan Kim M.D., Arifa Zaidi M.D., and Timothy Rice M.D. (Guest Contributors)

“The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth” is an African proverb made more mainstream by the 2018 Marvel film, Black Panther.

In the film, the villain engages in a fierce battle with the film’s protagonist over the reign of a country. On the surface, he may appear malicious and vile, one who does not deserve to be king, or even to have a happy ending. However, he isn’t your typical antagonist: He is a complex nuanced human being who feels pain and anger, likely stemming from his traumatic childhood. His father was murdered and his mother imprisoned, essentially leaving him as an orphan. Despite his childhood adversities, his drive to obtain revenge ultimately led him to study at a prestigious school and challenge for control of the country from which his family was exiled. In sum, he is an individual who, behind the hard exterior, is suffering greatly inside and is tormented with the cards that life dealt him.

There has been an increasing number of cultural products and academic studies investigating the significance of “adverse childhood experiences,” also known as “ACEs” (1). Batman, Spiderman, and even the Joker are depicted as troubled products of their traumatic origins. Sometimes these figures are resilient and go on to do good, at other times they do evil and aim to “burn down the village."

In academic work, exposure to early childhood adversity has been shown to impact both our medical and mental health. Early childhood trauma includes a history of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse; a history of neglect; and/or a history of household dysfunction (1). A more recently developed questionnaire, the Pediatric Aces and Related Life Events Screener (PEARLS) incorporates additional questions that account for unique stressors that are relevant to the pediatric population, such as inquiring about exposure to bullying, food and housing insecurity, and separation from a parental figure. Importantly, the questionnaire also delves into the history of discrimination due to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, among others, all of which are especially relevant and important given the growing interest and awareness of social and racial disparities (2).

Despite exposure to early childhood trauma, how are some able to transcend these barriers and lead meaningful, successful lives, whereas others struggle with maintaining relationships, careers, and happiness? Studies have shown that having a protective factor in one’s life can help an individual, even one with many ACEs, to overcome barriers (3).

One who is exposed to trauma early in their childhood without love and care from a parental figure may become familiar only with a world of chaos. Such individuals may often find themselves in “fight and flight” mode, fending off various adversities, which has the potential to interfere with their development and growth. They may also lack the experience of forming close attachments and bonds, especially if there is an absence of a stable parental figure during their formative years.

However, identifying individuals with many ACEs and exposing them to an alternative world that is less chaotic and replete with love and care may help change their trajectory and afford them the opportunity to create nurturing and stable relationships, healing their wounds in the process. How often do we see transformations of the story’s antagonist once they are shown that the world isn’t entirely evil and that they, too, can be the recipient of love? In fact, some of our biggest entertainment companies (Disney, Warner Bros, Universal Pictures) occasionally employ this as part of their storyline, even having the audience sympathize with the villain at the end. How can one forget the palpable thawing of the Phantom of the Opera’s character once he received the desired gesture of kindness, in the form of a kiss, from the female protagonist? Could these entertainment moguls have had ACEs in their minds all along?

Psychoanalysis traditionally stood away from trauma, understanding the roots of adult’s problems as instead the products of their fantasies and conflicts. Today, the field has moved beyond Freud’s early missteps while also recognizing the importance of the adults’ subjective experience of the trauma. The investment of any trauma with fantasy, or its intrusion into a preexisting strong conflict, can create an undue impact of trauma on the individual. For example, the death of a beloved pet in childhood may to one child cause little problems after mourning, while for another longstanding and turbulent ripples in an individual’s life may persist.

Trauma can happen to anyone. It does not discriminate when it comes to gender, race, sexual identity, education, or socioeconomic background. Seeking the help of a trusted family member or a friend can be therapeutic in exploring one’s traumatic past. However, some people may require additional help from a professional. Speaking with a psychoanalyst to better understand the impact of trauma on your life could be a good first step towards facing these ripples.

Perhaps the fate of Black Panther’s villain would have changed drastically had those around him recognized the consequences the painful loss of his father and mother could have had on a child and his future. It would have made for a less riveting plot and likely lower ticket sales, but perhaps he could have fought alongside Black Panther as opposed to seeking to burn down the village.

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Susan Kim, M.D., is a third-year psychiatry resident at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is a graduate of Wellesley College and Boston University School of Medicine. Currently, she is pursuing a career in child and adolescent psychiatry.

Arifa Zaidi, M.D., is a third-year psychiatry resident at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is a graduate of Brooklyn College and SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Currently, she is pursuing a career in child and adolescent psychiatry.

Timothy Rice, M.D., is a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist and currently an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he focuses on inpatient child and adolescent psychiatry and medical student education. He is co-chair of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry's Task Force on Men's Mental Health, where he focuses on child, adolescent, and young adult populations and on fathering.