Cinema Therapy for Autism

Empathy is the ability of a person to empathise with the emotions of another. If one person is sad, another will experience similar emotions. Many people find it easier to empathise with those who are the most similar to them. It is a feature that is used in the treatment of autism by watching specially selected films. This method is a form of art therapy for autism.

The selection of films for effective film therapy for autism may vary. It depends on the patient’s age and the characteristics of their perception of the world, so it is compiled individually. Below is a list of global film masterpieces for children of different ages.

Top 9 most popular films for developing empathy:

• ’Snow Pie’
• ’Special’
• ’Atypical’
• ’Black Ball’
• ’Temple Grandin’
• ’Rain Man’
• ’The A Word’
• ’Mary and Max’
• ’Adam’

Film therapy for children with ASD is a type of psychological consultation and therapy that uses watching cartoons, films, TV series, or short videos for a correctional and therapeutic impact. It helps many patients cope with psychological problems that cause fear, anxiety, depression, aggression, uncertainty, stress, anger, etc.

Features of film therapy for autists

It is worth emphasising that film therapy is carried out when a child has a certain degree of readiness. There is no point in forcing them to watch the ‘correct’ films. The preparatory stage is important and necessary to arouse interest, touch on issues and problems that are close to the child, and encourage them to watch the movie.

Film therapy for autistic children usually lasts 20–30 days, during which it is possible to watch about 10 films. At intermediate stages, it is recommended to carry out individual practices selected by a specialist that maximise the goals of therapy. The period of correctional treatment can be extended by setting new tasks and selecting other films.

Film training for autism is effective if the materials for viewing are selected individually, taking into account the patient’s experience, skills, mental characteristics, and perception of the world around them.

Requirements of film therapy for autistic children

1. The most important thing is that certain video material must be watched in its entirety without interruptions.
2. Use widescreen gadgets such as a laptop or TV. Tablets and smartphones are not suitable for these purposes.

It happens that children are distracted or fall asleep because the events in the film touch on problems or pain themes. In this case, it is necessary to return to viewing from the place where the distraction occurred. It is also important to adhere to a strict viewing schedule, and the order of films on the list must make therapeutic sense.

Innovative stem cell treatment for childhood autism spectrum disorder is the complete opposite of film therapy in terms of effectiveness since it maximally suppresses the pathogenesis of the disease.

Correction of childhood autism through a stem cell procedure works in such a way that it helps restore the child’s brain damaged by genetic developmental abnormalities. No other method of treating autism in children has an analogue to this effect. The stem cell transplant procedure today is rightfully considered an advanced method that has every chance of becoming the main one in the treatment of various psychological disorders and more.

Contact the Mardaleishvili Medical Center via the feedback form; you will receive a consultation and make the right decision about treatment!