PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

University of Calgary nursing study envisions child trauma treatment through a Marvel and DC lens

Clinically tested adverse childhood experience (ACE) questionnaires applied to cinematic superheroes and villains

2025-01-17
(Press-News.org)

Perhaps you’ve heard the story of Peter Parker, raised by his aunt and uncle after the death of his parents only to see his uncle murdered by the same criminal the radioactive spider-bitten teen neglected to apprehend that very day. His guilt drives him to become Spider-Man.  

But childhood trauma doesn’t always inspire super-heroics. Heath Ledger’s psychotic Joker, as seen in 2008 film The Dark Knight, recounts tales of horrific abuse by a father who disfigures him. It’s a stark contrast to his heroic nemesis Batman, who saw his parents gunned down in front of him as a young boy.  

If you want to talk childhood trauma in a fictional setting, you’ll find no shortage of it in the cinematic universes of Marvel and DC.  

This has inspired a unique study from the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Nursing, published in PLOS One, which applies real-life clinical questionnaires on adverse childhood experiences (ACE) to select Marvel and DC characters, heroes and villains alike. 

ACE questionnaires are used by clinicians to measure potentially traumatic events that occur during childhood, such as abuse or neglect. In applying the ACE questionnaires to Marvel and DC characters, the researchers found that higher scores – which indicate a more challenging childhood – were not the determining factor as to whether a character became a hero or a villain.  

These findings reinforce the notion that ACE scores are not accurate predictors of bad behaviour. Rather, they may indicate potential risks and illuminate areas where extra supports could be helpful. 

“It’s an unconventional approach which may give us opportunities to talk to children about topics that are really difficult by using Marvel and DC characters as a way in,” says Dr. Jennifer Jackson, PhD, assistant professor in the Faculty of Nursing and one of the paper’s co-authors. “One challenge of mental health treatment is finding ways to talk about it, free of stigma, and this might engage millions of children who love the Marvel and DC movies. It’s a method for addressing child abuse and trauma, essentially, that’s non-confrontational and non-threatening.” 

“It might even be inspiring,” notes Jackson. “‘Bruce Wayne’s parents died, and he didn’t become a villain, he became Batman. Maybe there’s hope for me, too.’”  

The study’s initial hypothesis was that super villains would have higher ACE scores than superheroes. As the project developed several researchers from the Faculty of Nursing contributed, including assistant professor (teaching) Julia Wigmore (MN’16), the lead author. 

“As someone who has used ACE scores in clinical practice and previous research projects, I’ve observed that high scores are associated with a greater risk of toxic stress and poor health outcomes,” says Wigmore. “I was intrigued by this idea that higher scores might also be associated with villainy... But instead, we found that childhood trauma doesn’t have to paint this dark path.” 

The study incorporates 28 characters from 33 films, with ACE scores evenly distributed between heroes and villains and Marvel and DC universes with care paid to gender and racial diversity. Among the characters given the ACE treatment are Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Shang-Chi, Black Panther and his Wakandan foe Killmonger, and the gender-fluid Loki. 

“It is great to see more diverse characters as superheroes,” says Jackson. “It increases the opportunity for a viewer to see a hero and think, ‘Hey, that’s me!’”  

The research largely refutes the idea that villains are a product of their experiences says Jackson. “Black Widow has the highest ACE score but is a hero,” she notes. “Loki, on the other hand, was raised with loving parents in a life of royal privilege but he becomes a villain... Based on the films we watched, characters chose to be heroes, and that was what made the difference – not their experiences.” 

Media inquiries

Heath McCoy 
Senior Communications Specialist 
Media, Issues and Outreach
University of Calgary
hjmccoy@ucalgary.ca; Ph: 403-607-8461

 

 

 

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Research on performance optimization of virtual data space across WAN

Research on performance optimization of virtual data space across WAN
2025-01-17
For the high-performance computing in a WAN environment, the geographical locations of national supercomputing centers are scattered and the network topology is complex, so it is difficult to form a unified view of resources. To aggregate the widely dispersed storage resources of national supercomputing centers in China, the team led by Zhisheng Huo have previously proposed a global virtual data space named GVDS. However, the GVDS suffers from performance bottlenecks in data migration and access across WANs. To solve the problems, ...

Researchers reveal novel mechanism for intrinsic regulation of sugar cravings

2025-01-17
Excessive sugar consumption is linked to several non-communicable diseases, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. Animals naturally crave sugar, and uncontrolled sugar preferences can lead to high sugar intake, raising the risk of hyperglycemia and metabolic diseases. Previous research suggests that food cravings in humans are driven by signals from the gut to the brain, highlighting the gut's crucial role in shaping dietary preferences. However, the regulation of sugar preference is complex, and the specific influence of gut microbes remains unclear. In a study published in Nature Microbiology, ...

Immunological face of megakaryocytes

Immunological face of megakaryocytes
2025-01-17
Megakaryocytes (MKs), known for their role in platelet production, have emerged as critical players in immune responses, showcasing versatility in both physiological and pathological contexts. Recent advances in technology have unveiled the diverse immune functions of MKs, which express immune sensors and participate in immune activities, thus expanding their traditional role beyond hemostasis and coagulation. This comprehensive review delves into the multifaceted immune roles of MKs, highlighting their distinct immunological roles under ...

Calorie labelling leads to modest reductions in selection and consumption

2025-01-17
A new Cochrane review has found that calorie labelling of food on menus and products leads people to choose slightly fewer calories.  The research team, led by scientists from UCL, Bath Spa University, the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford, examined evidence from 25 studies on the impact of calorie labelling on food selection and consumption. They found that calorie labels in supermarkets, restaurants and other food outlets led to a small reduction in the calories people selected and purchased. The average reduction was 1.8%, which would equate ...

The effectiveness of intradialytic parenteral nutrition with ENEFLUID???? infusion

The effectiveness of intradialytic parenteral nutrition with ENEFLUID???? infusion
2025-01-17
Niigata and Tokyo, Japan - In recent years, advancements in dialysis therapy and the growing number of elderly patients starting dialysis have contributed to the aging of the overall dialysis population. Consequently, malnutrition-related conditions such as sarcopenia, frailty, and protein energy wasting (PEW) have become significant issues for dialysis patients. Nutritional interventions, including nutritional counseling, oral supplements, and intradialytic parenteral nutrition (IDPN), are recommended to address these challenges. On dialysis days, patients tend to consume less ...

New study reveals AI’s transformative impact on ICU care with smarter predictions and transparent insights

2025-01-17
New INFORMS Information Systems Research Study Key Takeaways: The AI model achieves approximately 90% classification precision in predicting ICU length of stay, enabling hospitals to more effectively optimize resource management. Clear, evidence-based explanations provided by the model empower ICU doctors to make better-informed decisions regarding patient care. Real-world testing with ICU clinicians demonstrated the model’s potential to enhance care efficiency, reduce hospital costs and improve patient outcomes.   BALTIMORE, MD, January 16, 2025 – Intensive care units (ICUs) face mounting pressure to effectively manage resources while delivering ...

Snakes in potted olive trees ‘tip of the iceberg’ of ornamental plant trade hazards

Snakes in potted olive trees ‘tip of the iceberg’ of ornamental plant trade hazards
2025-01-17
Continental European snakes, geckos and Italian wall lizards are making their way to northern Europe undetected among imports of ornamental olive trees destined for gardens and green spaces.  These hitchhiking intruders can become invasive pests that cause extensive damage to the natural environment - as has happened in previously snake-free islands of the Mediterranean like Majorca. They’re also a red flag for a bigger problem: the range of potentially serious agricultural and environmental pests being unwittingly imported to Britain and ...

Climate change driving ‘cost-of-living' squeeze in lizards

Climate change driving ‘cost-of-living squeeze in lizards
2025-01-16
Desert lizards are facing a ‘cost-of-living’ squeeze as global temperatures continue to rise, a new study finds.   For a lizard, the 'cost-of-living' is tightly linked to its body temperature, which dictates both how much food it needs and whether it can go outside to feed. Desert lizards are especially challenged because food is sparse, and it is often too hot to forage.   Published today in Science, the study found climate warming can ‘squeeze’ desert lizard energy budgets by increasing the food they need just ...

Stem Cell Reports seeks applications for its Early Career Scientist Editorial Board

Stem Cell Reports seeks applications for its Early Career Scientist Editorial Board
2025-01-16
Stem Cell Reports, the peer-reviewed, open access, online journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) is seeking highly motivated and accomplished early career scientists to join the Early Career Scientist Editorial Board (ECEB). This group of distinguished early career scientists will have the opportunity to: Advise on journal content and programming such as special Issues, podcast content, and other initiatives, Receive mentoring from associate editors, Attend the annual editorial board meeting Build their professional network and connections, and Serve as an ambassador ...

‘Brand new physics’ for next generation spintronics

‘Brand new physics’ for next generation spintronics
2025-01-16
Our data-driven world demands more—more capacity, more efficiency, more computing power. To meet society’s insatiable need for electronic speed, physicists have been pushing the burgeoning field of spintronics. Traditional electronics use the charge of electrons to encode, store and transmit information. Spintronic devices utilize both the charge and spin-orientation of electrons. By assigning a value to electron spin (up=0 and down=1), spintronic devices offer ultra-fast, energy-efficient platforms. To develop viable spintronics, physicists must understand the quantum properties ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Study tracks chromium chemistry in irradiated molten salts

Scientists: the beautiful game is a silver bullet for global health

Being physically active, even just a couple of days a week, may be key to better health

High-fat diet promote breast cancer metastasis in animal models

A router for photons

Nurses and AI collaborate to save lives, reduce hospital stays

Multi-resistance in bacteria predicted by AI model

Tinker Tots: A citizen science project to explore ethical dilemmas in embryo selection

Sensing sickness

Cost to build multifamily housing in California more than twice as high as in Texas

Program takes aim at drinking, unsafe sex, and sexual assault on college campuses

Inability to pay for healthcare reaches record high in U.S.

Science ‘storytelling’ urgently needed amid climate and biodiversity crisis

KAIST Develops Retinal Therapy to Restore Lost Vision​

Adipocyte-hepatocyte signaling mechanism uncovered in endoplasmic reticulum stress response

Mammals were adapting from life in the trees to living on the ground before dinosaur-killing asteroid

Low LDL cholesterol levels linked to reduced risk of dementia

Thickening of the eye’s retina associated with greater risk and severity of postoperative delirium in older patients

Almost one in ten people surveyed report having been harmed by the NHS in the last three years

Enhancing light control with complex frequency excitations

New research finds novel drug target for acute myeloid leukemia, bringing hope for cancer patients

New insight into factors associated with a common disease among dogs and humans

Illuminating single atoms for sustainable propylene production

New study finds Rocky Mountain snow contamination

Study examines lactation in critically ill patients

UVA Engineering Dean Jennifer West earns AIMBE’s 2025 Pierre Galletti Award

Doubling down on metasurfaces

New Cedars-Sinai study shows how specialized diet can improve gut disorders

Making moves and hitting the breaks: Owl journeys surprise researchers in western Montana

PKU Scientists simulate the origin and evolution of the North Atlantic Oscillation

[Press-News.org] University of Calgary nursing study envisions child trauma treatment through a Marvel and DC lens
Clinically tested adverse childhood experience (ACE) questionnaires applied to cinematic superheroes and villains