1. I AM SAM

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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

6. Self Perception https://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

7. 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

8. 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

9. Relationships https://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

10. 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”
- His boss is patient and repeats himself many times until he is sure Sam understands what he is trying to say
The scene in the shoe store when they are all trying to find shoes for Lucy. When they leave they each have a balloon. Scene where Sam’s friend’s mom comes to get him and says she will wait downstairs until he is done.
- Scene at the Halloween party at school. At first Lucy is having so much fun with her dad but then she realizes all the other kids are laughing at him and becomes very upset.

11. Lucy reading to Sam

12. 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.”
- Role Reversal - Lucy helps Sam read her books and sound out words like a parent would
Teachers - “You have the IQ of a 7 year old.. What happens when Lucy turns 8 or 9 or 10.”
- Lawyer “He can’t even understand the court procedures which he’s been through many times now”

13. 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
Because they all have disabilities and the lawyer felt their testimonials did not make sense but they would be able to explain what a good father Sam is since they spend the most time with him a Lucy.
Doesn’t understand that the woman talking to him is a prostitute and believes her when she says she will help him with his word search. Ends up getting arrested. Believes Lucy when she says the woman from CPS said they could go to the park. Really Lucy wanted to run away with him and it could have really screwed up his chances of getting Lucy back.
- Scene at Bob’s Big Boy – Sam didn’t understand different restaurants have different menus – yelled at the waitress because he wanted what he always gets at IHOP

14. 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
Starbucks, Pizza Hut, walking Dogs
Judge wants Sam to make enough money to buy a bigger place so that Lucy will have her own room but it’s very hard when he is only making minimum wage.
Sam ends up agreeing with the lawyer interrogating him because he’s so upset and just wants the questions to stop – keeps saying “no more, no more, no more”
Misses his monitored visit with Lucy because he misses the bus.

15. 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
What does he feel good about?
How does he feel about his job?
Does he feel working at Starbucks is fulfilling him?
If not, what would he want to be doing?
How does he feel about the life he has built for himself and his daughter?
What are his worries and concerns as Lucy continues to grow?
How does he feel when others comment about his intellectual disability?
How does he feel hearing so many people say he cannot give Lucy what she needs?
What are Lucy’s thoughts and feelings when her school mates make fun of her dad?
How does Lucy feel being able to read at a higher level than her dad?
Impt to work on assertiveness so they can both articulate when they need more help than they’re getting.

16. 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
Important for them to work together but also have individual counseling where they both feel they can be more honest and do not have to worry about upsetting the other person.
Fast-paced talking and big words confuse Sam and make him anxious and upset as you can see in the film when he is on the witness stand.
Play therapy fosters a child’s emotional, developmental and social growth. Important for them both to be able to express the way they are feeling and drawing etc. may help them do so.
Important to help Sam find outside resources to help Lucy with her school work and other aspects of her development.
Social skill interventions include : video modeling, developmental, peer-mediated, behavioral, and structured teaching interventions.

17. 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?

18. 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),