# Fifty Years of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest: A Qualitative Exploration of Mental Health Staff's Perspectives

## TL;DR

This study explores how mental health professionals view the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and its impact on perceptions of mental health care.

## Contribution

The paper provides new insights into how the film has shaped or reinforced stereotypes among mental health staff.

## Key findings

- The film is seen as consolidating stereotypes and reinforcing stigma around mental health care.
- Mental health staff acknowledge progress but emphasize the need for further improvements in reducing stigma and power imbalances.
- The legacy of the film still influences public perception despite its age.

## Abstract

In 2025, the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest turned 50 years old. Although the film has been subject to analysis over the years, its role in shaping the perceptions of professionals working in mental health has not yet been fully explored. The aim of this paper is to explore mental health staff's perspectives onOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest on its 50th anniversary. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants. The study was guided by a qualitative descriptive approach. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Five Themes were identified: Personal Reflections on First Viewing One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Consolidating Stereotypes and Reinforcing Stigma, The Shadow of Nurse Ratched, We Have Come a Long Way but We Still Have a Long Way to Go and The Legacy of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Today. Although the film's direct influence is waning, it still has some hold over the public's negative views of mental health care. Media campaigns, similar to those used to dispel myths about mental health challenges, should be used to promote better images of mental health staff and care environments, reducing stigma. While mental health care has come a long way since the release of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, further improvements are warranted, with an emphasis on reducing power dynamics and more focused mental health education.