The biopsychosocial materno-semiotics framework: A holistic analytical tool for film studies

This study introduces the BPS Materno-Semiotics Framework, an innovative methodological approach that combines the Biopsychosocial (BPS) Model (Engel, 1977) with Semiotic Analysis (Barthes, 1964) to examine how films construct maternal distress. The portrayal of maternal or postpartum mental health...

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Main Authors: J. Priyadharshini, R. K. Jaishree Karthiga
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:MethodsX
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2215016125001256
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author J. Priyadharshini
R. K. Jaishree Karthiga
author_facet J. Priyadharshini
R. K. Jaishree Karthiga
author_sort J. Priyadharshini
collection DOAJ
description This study introduces the BPS Materno-Semiotics Framework, an innovative methodological approach that combines the Biopsychosocial (BPS) Model (Engel, 1977) with Semiotic Analysis (Barthes, 1964) to examine how films construct maternal distress. The portrayal of maternal or postpartum mental health in films continues to be crucial yet an underexplored area in the interdisciplinary studies. Studies that already exist don't combine cultural symbolism or psychological realism into a single analytical framework (Mayang & Aziz, 2023). This study bridges the gap and uses the movie Nightbitch (2024) as an example to show how biological, psychological, and social factors interact with cultural ideas about motherhood in film narratives.This comprehensive tool is useful for academics and filmmakers to evaluate how film influences public views of motherhood. It is flexible to be modified to analyse themes including mental health, workplace stress, and gender roles on other media portrayals. • This study offers a multifaceted methodology for the analysis of motherhood and mental health topics. • By integrating clinical psychology and cultural studies, this study provides an interdisciplinary framework. • This holistic tool enables to perform a dual-lens analysis that examines the psychological realities of parental inadequacies and the socio-cultural myths weaved into film portrayals.
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spelling doaj-art-e8b5ff74894043dc9e56ddc909cb7c4d2025-08-20T03:32:03ZengElsevierMethodsX2215-01612025-06-011410327910.1016/j.mex.2025.103279The biopsychosocial materno-semiotics framework: A holistic analytical tool for film studiesJ. Priyadharshini0R. K. Jaishree Karthiga1School of Social Sciences and Languages, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vandalur –Kelambakkam Road, Chennai, 600127, Tamil Nadu, IndiaCorresponding author.; School of Social Sciences and Languages, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vandalur –Kelambakkam Road, Chennai, 600127, Tamil Nadu, IndiaThis study introduces the BPS Materno-Semiotics Framework, an innovative methodological approach that combines the Biopsychosocial (BPS) Model (Engel, 1977) with Semiotic Analysis (Barthes, 1964) to examine how films construct maternal distress. The portrayal of maternal or postpartum mental health in films continues to be crucial yet an underexplored area in the interdisciplinary studies. Studies that already exist don't combine cultural symbolism or psychological realism into a single analytical framework (Mayang & Aziz, 2023). This study bridges the gap and uses the movie Nightbitch (2024) as an example to show how biological, psychological, and social factors interact with cultural ideas about motherhood in film narratives.This comprehensive tool is useful for academics and filmmakers to evaluate how film influences public views of motherhood. It is flexible to be modified to analyse themes including mental health, workplace stress, and gender roles on other media portrayals. • This study offers a multifaceted methodology for the analysis of motherhood and mental health topics. • By integrating clinical psychology and cultural studies, this study provides an interdisciplinary framework. • This holistic tool enables to perform a dual-lens analysis that examines the psychological realities of parental inadequacies and the socio-cultural myths weaved into film portrayals.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2215016125001256BPS Materno-Semiotics
spellingShingle J. Priyadharshini
R. K. Jaishree Karthiga
The biopsychosocial materno-semiotics framework: A holistic analytical tool for film studies
MethodsX
BPS Materno-Semiotics
title The biopsychosocial materno-semiotics framework: A holistic analytical tool for film studies
title_full The biopsychosocial materno-semiotics framework: A holistic analytical tool for film studies
title_fullStr The biopsychosocial materno-semiotics framework: A holistic analytical tool for film studies
title_full_unstemmed The biopsychosocial materno-semiotics framework: A holistic analytical tool for film studies
title_short The biopsychosocial materno-semiotics framework: A holistic analytical tool for film studies
title_sort biopsychosocial materno semiotics framework a holistic analytical tool for film studies
topic BPS Materno-Semiotics
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2215016125001256
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