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:

Fig trees convert atmospheric CO2 to stone

Intra-arterial tenecteplase for acute stroke after successful endovascular therapy

Study reveals beneficial microbes that can sustain yields in unfertilized fields

Robotic probe quickly measures key properties of new materials

Climate change cuts milk production, even when farmers cool their cows

Frozen, but not sealed: Arctic Ocean remained open to life during ice ages

Some like it cold: Cryorhodopsins

Demystifying gut bacteria with AI

Human wellbeing on a finite planet towards 2100: new study shows humanity at a crossroads

Unlocking the hidden biodiversity of Europe’s villages

Planned hydrogen refuelling stations may lead to millions of euros in yearly losses

Planned C-sections increase the risk of certain childhood cancers

Adults who have survived childhood cancer are at increased risk of severe COVID-19

Drones reveal extreme coral mortality after bleaching

New genetic finding uncovers hidden cause of arsenic resistance in acute promyelocytic leukemia

Native habitats hold the key to the much-loved smashed avocado’s future

Using lightning to make ammonia out of thin air

Machine learning potential-driven insights into pH-dependent CO₂ reduction

Physician associates provide safe care for diagnosed patients when directly supervised by a doctor

How game-play with robots can bring out their human side

Asthma: patient expectations influence the course of the disease

UNM physician tests drug that causes nerve tissue to emit light, enabling faster, safer surgery

New study identifies EMP1 as a key driver of pancreatic cancer progression and poor prognosis

XPR1 identified as a key regulator of ovarian cancer growth through autophagy and immune evasion

Flexible, eco-friendly electronic plastic for wearable tech, sensors

Can the Large Hadron Collider snap string theory?

Stuckeman professor’s new book explores ‘socially sustainable’ architecture

Synthetic DNA nanoparticles for gene therapy

New model to find treatments for an aggressive blood cancer

Special issue of Journal of Intensive Medicine analyzes non-invasive respiratory support

[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