I AM SAMI AM SAMI AM SAMI AM SAM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_AguDqCBvo

Disability Representation• Intellectual disability involves impairments of general mental

abilities that impact adaptive functioning in three domains, or areas. These domains determine how well an individual copes with everyday tasks:

> The conceptual domain includes skills in language, reading, writing, math, reasoning, knowledge, and memory.

>The social domain refers to empathy, social judgment, interpersonal communication skills, the ability to make and retain friendships, and similar capacities.

>The practical domain centers on self-management in areas such as personal care, job responsibilities, money

management, recreation, and organizing school and work tasks.

Disability Representation• Sam is portrayed as having an Intellectual Development

disorder (Mental Retardation DSM 4)

• Sam has an intellectual capacity of a 7 year old and shows autistic characteristics

• Sam is portrayed as loving and has deep empathy but has a hard time understanding concepts

• Sam has a daughter who turned 7 and she begins to ask questions about the world and Sam is unable to answer them as an adult but answers them as a 7 year old child would answer them.

Disability Representation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdgT3ZWUKHU

• Lucy is beginning to read at a higher reading level and Sam is unable to read some of the words with her

• Sam works at Starbucks and wants a promotion to make drinks but is when he gets to make the drinks he is unable to work at a fast pace without spilling

• Sam throws a surprise party for Lucy and is accused of touching one of the kids inappropriately but he was just trying to get him to say surprise and be happy for Lucy at her party

Functional Limitations• Sam is unable to perform work task that requires higher

level skills such as making the drinks at Starbucks• Instead Sam fills the sugars and wipes the tables• He also becomes a dog walker• At the end of the movie he works at Pizza hut.

• Sam can get around the city and is able to memorize bus routes

• Sam loses custody of his daughter because they say now that Lucy is getting older she needs someone who can function at a higher level so she can learn

Self Perceptionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptnv250tn5Y

• Sam has high self perception and sees himself as a good father

• Sam has high self esteem and has a group a friends who have disabilities as well

• Sam goes to the same places to eat and people there know him and treat him well

• When Sam tries a new restaurant for Lucy, people are staring at him because he doesn’t understand that they don’t have the same food as IHOP and yells at the waitress

Coping Strategies• Sam copes with disability by accepting that he has a

disability and still striving to make a life for himself • Sam teaches Lucy to go for her dreams, Sam doesn’t let

the disability deter him• Sam also doesn’t understand fully his disability but sees

that he is different from others• Sam has an argument with his lawyer and says that she

doesn't understand what it is like to be different and says that people like her don’t have feelings

• Sam tries his best to accomplish better positions in work but in some cases can’t handle the work and doesn’t know why

Relationships• Sam has good relationships with his co workers at

Starbucks as well as the customers because they are used to Sam and understand he has a disability

• People who don’t know Sam and the kids at Lucy’s school make fun of him and also stare at him

• Lucy loves her dad and starts to feel bad when she sees the kids laugh at him, she tells other kids that she is adopted and runs out of her surprise party

• Lucy doesn't want to read her new book because she knows that Sam can’t read along

Relationshipshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od1HYeNR7ec

• Sam has a group of friends in his building who have disabilities too and they support Sam throughout the trial

• Sam is close to Lucy’s godmother/piano teacher and she helps him care for Lucy when she is a baby

• Sam’s relationship with his lawyer became stronger over time because he taught her how to be more empathetic and cherish the time with her son

Societal Attitudes• Understanding of the disability - people at Starbucks, his

boss

• All of his friends have disabilities as well – they are all portrayed like children

• “I need that list of people that can testify to you being a good father despite your handicap, I mean disability, I mean cause you’re retarded. I don’t know what to call you.” “Call me Sam.”

• Lucy’s school friends laugh at him and call him names like “retard”

Lucy reading to Sam

Societal Attitudes• Lucy’s school books become too hard for Sam – she helps

him read

• People do not believe Sam can be a good father> Teachers> Child Protective Services> Foster parents> Lawyer

• The lawyer gets very frustrated with Sam > “Who’s the parent here?”> “You have to stop saying that it makes you look

stupid.”

Environmental/Situational Barriers

• None of Sam’s friends were able to testify in court

• Sam has the IQ of a 7 year old – interferes with his ability to:

> help Lucy with her school work> understand court procedures and legal terms

• He is naïve in many ways which gets him in trouble

• Instability of environments causes Sam to become very upset

Environmental/Situational Barriers

• Only very low paying jobs with little responsibility are available to him

• Can only afford a small apartment – Lucy doesn’t have her own room

• Confused and upset by fast talking and interrogation in the court room

• Has to take public transportation everywhere which often means he’s late for appointments

Major Issues To Work On In Counseling

• Sam’s sense of self-esteem• Sam’s sense of accomplishment• Sam’s feelings about parenting

• Lucy’s feelings about her dads disability• Lucy’s feelings about her dad’s ability to provide for her• Lucy’s feelings about being taken away from her dad and

being put in foster care

• Help Lucy and Sam to communicate better• Help them both become more assertive

Intervention Strategies• Family and individual counseling for both

• Important: speak slowly and use simpler language when speaking to Sam

• Play therapy techniques

• Referrals to outside resources

• Develop coping strategies for them both

• Social skill interventions

Ethical Issues

• Is it in Lucy’s best interest to live with her dad?

• Can Sam really provide what Lucy needs to grow and thrive?

• What do you think?

References American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and

statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Swan, K. L. (2012). Effectiveness of play therapy on problem behaviors of children with intellectual disabilities: A single subject design. Dissertation Abstracts International Section A, 73.

Walton, K. M., & Ingersoll, B. R. (2013). Improving social skills in adolescents and adults with autism and severe to profound intellectual disability: A review of the literature. Journal Of Autism And Developmental Disorders, 43(3), 594-615.