Symptomatic Behavior Depicted by Dr. Shaun Murphy in “The Good Doctor”

Case study: Dr. Shaun Murphy in “The Good Doctor”
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Introduction
More than 26% of Americans (one in four adults) suffer from a diagnosable mental illness. The challenges set by the coronavirus pandemic have increased the depiction of mental illnesses in the media. The increased presentation of mental illnesses in movies and television series has forced viewers to confront unpleasant truths, accept the importance of mental health programs, and address the related stigma. Among the characters that have shed light on the prevalence and seriousness of mental health is Dr. Shaun Murphy; the main protagonist in The Good Doctor. As a surgical resident at St. Bonaventure Hospital, Dr. Shaun Murphy must embrace his excellent analytical abilities while also tackling the challenges that result from his diagnosis of savant syndrome and autism. This paper examines the symptomatic behavior depicted by Dr. Shaun Murphy and the appropriate diagnosis and prognosis based on DSM-5.
Description of symptomatic behavior
Dr. Shaun Murphy struggles with verbal and nonverbal communication. In some instances, he bluntly voices his perceptions such as telling his supervisor that he is “arrogant.” In others, he finds it challenging to explain medical procedures to colleagues and patients. For instance, in the first five episodes of season 4, he resorted to doing all the work because he could not explain to the interns how certain procedures are conducted. Routine reinforce stability and a feeling of well-being in autistic people (Boyd et al., 2014). Similarly, Dr. Shaun relies on routines to manage his private and professional life. For example, he uses the bathroom every morning at 5:06 am, eats the same meal for breakfast every day (one green apple and yogurt), and stares at the scalpel that his brother (Steve) gave him before performing any surgery. Dr. Shaun dislikes making eye contact and physical contact. As a result, he does not hug or greet his patients and does not allow his girlfriend (Lea) to initiate any form of physical contact. Furthermore, Dr. Shaun depicts heightened sensory sensitivity. This is evident in an episode titled “Quarantine” when a buzzing light causes Dr. Shaun to go into sensory overload and subsequently collapse into the fetal position. Additionally, due to his troubled childhood and the death of his brother and rabbit, Dr. Shaun is reluctant to establish deeper connections with other people.
Diagnostic label
The symptomatic behavior of Dr. Shaun indicates that he is suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that entails lasting repetitive/restricted behavior and challenges in nonverbal and verbal communication (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Under DSM-5, ASD can only be diagnosed if the patient depicts deficits related to social interactions and communication and repetitive/restricted behavior. Dr. Shaun meets these requirements because he follows rigid routines and experiences verbal and nonverbal communication challenges that have limited his ability to develop and maintain relationships with other people.
Perspectives
Cognitive
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