Does The Good Doctor Accurately Portray Autism? Autism Treatment MI - Perspectives Counseling (2024)

Does The Good Doctor Accurately Portray Autism? Autism Treatment MI - Perspectives Counseling (1)Autism awareness has grown considerably since television shows started adding autistic characters to the cast. Back in April, Sesame Street created a new puppetnamed Julia to help children understand autism spectrum disorder. Billy, the Blue Ranger in the new Power Rangers movie, has high-functioning autism, and so does the star of the Netflix original series Atypical.

Yet another show has come out with an autistic lead role. This time it’s “The Good Doctor.” Dr. Shaun Murphy is a young surgical resident who has both autism and savant syndrome. These conditions allow him to have a unique perspective on the medical world – he sees things that other doctors cannot see. The question is: how accurately does this showcase autism spectrum disorder?

How Autism Is Portrayed In The Good Doctor

From the first episode, it is clear that Dr. Murphy looks at the world differently. He analyzes situations in his mind, similar to how Robert Downey Jr.’s thoughts are portrayed in the newest Sherlock Holmes movies. He processes information literally and does not always pick up on social cues. He avoids eye contact, twiddles his fingers, and speaks with a bold, matter-of-fact tone.

The show also explores the doctor’s early life, including memories of traumatic experiences triggered by sounds, sights, and smells. The audience sees what life was like for this character before he was diagnosed or treated for his autism.

Does This Represent Autism Well?

Autism is not a condition with a defined set of symptoms. This is why people are placed on a “spectrum,” representing how easily they can function with the rest of society. Some people with autism would not be able to get through medical school or the chaos of working in a hospital, but that is not to say this character is inaccurate.

For the most part, The Good Doctor does a sufficient job of explaining what autism is and showing how it affects the main character. Much like Sam from Atypical, Shaun has trouble with flashing lights and loud noises around him. He can sometimes identify sarcasm, but he may not find humor in it. These are all experiences someone with autism might have.

It is impossible to define what an autistic character should and should not be, and this show is still in its infancy. For now, the writers and actors have maintained a strong level of authenticity. At a minimum, they have helped to bring even more awareness to autism and autism treatment.

Does The Good Doctor Accurately Portray Autism? Autism Treatment MI - Perspectives Counseling (2024)

FAQs

Is the depiction of autism in The Good Doctor accurate? ›

It is important to remember that the portrayal of autism in "The Good Doctor" is a fictional representation and may not fully capture the diverse experiences of individuals on the autism spectrum. While the character of Dr.

Is The Good Doctor accurate? ›

In an interview with TV Insider, the show's medical consultant Dr. Oren Gottfried discusses how he suggests actual medical incidents from real life to the writers. The doctor noted that "Some [cases] do seem so outlandish, but the fact is they're really medical truth."

What is the most evidence based treatment for autism? ›

Behavioral approaches focus on changing behaviors by understanding what happens before and after the behavior. Behavioral approaches have the most evidence for treating symptoms of ASD. They have become widely accepted among educators and healthcare professionals and are used in many schools and treatment clinics.

Does watching The Good Doctor affect knowledge of and attitudes toward autism? ›

Exposure to one episode of a fictional drama depicting ASD, compared to watching a lecture, resulted in more accurate knowledge, more positive characteristics associated with ASD, fewer negative characteristics associated with ASD, and a greater desire to learn more about ASD.

Is atypical an accurate depiction of autism? ›

Results: The majority of participants described Sam's portrayal as accurate, emphasizing that it was accurate as one example of autism. Family members appeared more likely to perceive Atypical as having informative benefit and being likely to improve attitudes toward autism than were autistic people.

Are any of The Good Doctor writers autistic? ›

None of the writers of The Good Doctor are autistic.

Does The Good Doctor use real cases? ›

Although the surgeries aren't real, a lot of the storylines are based on real stories the writers got from medical journals.

What is the most medically accurate show? ›

Scrubs is rated by doctors as the most accurate medical show due to its realistic portrayal of the daily life and struggles of doctors in training. The show avoids the common trope of the doctor as a larger-than-life figure with supernatural abilities, instead focusing on the flaws and insecurities of the characters.

Is The Good Doctor based on truth? ›

Is “The Good Doctor” based on a true story? No, “The Good Doctor” is not based on a true story. However, the show is inspired by a South Korean series with the same name.

Is ABA therapy scientifically proven? ›

ABA is considered an evidence-based best practice treatment by the US Surgeon General and by the American Psychological Association. “Evidence based” means that ABA has passed scientific tests of its usefulness, quality, and effectiveness. ABA therapy includes many different techniques.

Why autism therapies have an evidence problem? ›

Part of the problem may be that autism researchers can't seem to agree on what threshold of evidence is sufficient to say a therapy works. A system of entrenched conflicts of interest has also artificially kept this bar low, experts say.

What is the medical bias for autism? ›

Doctors often show bias toward autistic adults, showing skepticism about their autistic identity, using ableist language or failing to recognize autistic people may react differently to sensory stimuli like pain, activists say.

What do doctors look for in autism? ›

Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult because there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorder. Doctors look at the child's developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis. ASD can sometimes be detected at 18 months of age or younger.

What type of autism does the doctor on Good Doctor have? ›

Freddie Highmore (Bates Motel, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory) stars as Dr. Shaun Murphy, an up-and-coming surgeon who also happens to have autism and savant syndrome. This is a very difficult role for anyone to play given how broad the autism spectrum truly is.

Is the autistic doctor in The Good Doctor really autistic? ›

Shaun Murphy's role in The Good Doctor, plays a surgeon that has autism spectrum disorder. However, Freddie doesn't have autism or any of its primary symptoms. He's keen on doing much research into the field, working alongside a consultant with the disorder to assist in the series' accuracy.

Is Sheldon supposed to be autistic? ›

Sheldon Cooper – The Big Bang Theory. Dr. Sheldon Cooper does not have an official diagnosis of autism, but he demonstrates many traits associated with autism spectrum disorder, specifically the outdated diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome. In the show, he says he's “not crazy,” and his mother had him tested.

Is The Good Doctor Asperger? ›

“The Good Doctor” features Shaun Murphy, a surgical resident at the fictional St. Bonaventure Hospital in San Jose. Shaun has Asperger's Syndrome, which is a developmental disability on the autism spectrum.

Is Chidi Anagonye autistic? ›

He channels the way his brain naturally works into a lifelong special interest, and manages to help his friends and himself become better people despite his anxieties. If Chidi is a hidden autistic character, he is some much-needed positive representation and a fresh take on the Hollywood autistic nerd role.

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