TV and film feature few portrayals of mental health

A new report from USC Annenberg’s Inclusion Initiative, which studies inclusion and diversity in entertainment, finds that although nearly 1 in 5 people in the U.S. have a mental health disorder, portrayals of such conditions on film and TV are rare. Here’s more from the report:

• On film: A little under 2% of the nearly 4,600 characters from the top 100 movies in 2016 had a mental health condition. Nearly half of such characters were shown in the context of disparagement.  
• On TV: About 7% of the more than 1,200 TV characters studied had a mental health condition. Half of these characters were shown in a humorous or mocking way.
• By condition: The most common issue portrayed was addiction, followed by anxiety/PTSD and mood disorders.