Cultural Variations in Psychopathology: From Research to Practice (original) (raw)
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Frontiers in Psychiatry
The present paper discusses the role of culture in understanding and treating psychopathology. It describes new perspectives on the conceptualization of psychopathology and on the definition of culture, and how these are intertwined. The impacts of culture, explicit and implicit discrimination, and minority stress on mental health are reviewed, especially in the current era. Culturally-sensitive assessment practices in psychopathology are emphasized, including addressing the multiple cultural identities of the patient, the explanatory models of the experienced distress, specific psychosocial stressors and strengths, and the cultural features of the practitioner-patient relationship in the clinical encounter. The particular case of psychotherapy in working with culturally diverse patients is explored. Finally, mainstreaming of culture in research and clinical training in psychopathology is highlighted, acknowledging that each clinical interaction is a cultural one.
Cultural influences upon psychopathology: Clinical and practical implications
Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless, 1995
and experience is selectively reviewed, and several conclusions are drawn about the nature, extent, and impact of such influence. Although a number of demonstrated universals exist in the manifestations of schizophrenia and depression, the scope of cultural variation in all aspects of psychopathology is vast. Both universalist and relativist positions in their pure or exclusive form are rejected and the view is espoused that psychological manifestations are the joint result of panhuman and culture-specific factors. Several conclusions concerning the operation and the results of such influences are presented and the issues that are as yet unresolved are identified. The self is introduced as the key concept in explaining both the constancy and the variation of experience across cultures and four dimensions derived from Hofstede's worldwide multicultural research are described. Their potential relevance is spelled out for systematically investigating the culturally preferred and~or characteristic modalities of psychotherapy.
Recent work on culture and psychopathology is beginning to unpack the cognitive, developmental and interactional processes through which social contexts shape illness onset, experience, course and outcome. New conceptual models, tools, and technologies, along with better data, lend support to an ecosocial view of mental disorders that emphasizes the way that cultural contexts influence developmental processes and exposure to social adversity to increase risk for specific types of psychopathology. This contextual view has implications for research design and clinical practice. Recognizing the importance of culture, DSM-5 now includes a discussion of cultural concepts of mental disorders as well as a Cultural Formulation Interview to help clinicians explore the context of mental health symptoms and disorders.
Culture, cultural factors and psychiatric diagnosis: review and projections
World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 2009
This paper aims to provide conceptual justifications for the inclusion of culture and cultural factors in psychiatric diagnosis, and logistic suggestions as to the content and use of this approach. A discussion of the scope and limitations of current diagnostic practice, criticisms from different quarters, and the role and relevance of culture in the diagnostic encounter, precede the examination of advantages and disadvantages of the approach. The cultural content of psychiatric diagnosis should include the main, well-recognized cultural variables, adequate family data, explanatory models, and strengths and weaknesses of every individual patient. The practical aspects include the acceptance of "cultural discordances" as a component of an updated definition of mental disorder, and the use of a refurbished cultural formulation. Clinical "telescoping" strategies to obtain relevant cultural data during the diagnostic interview, and areas of future research (including...
1 Introduction to Culture and Psychopathology
2008
Both trained psychologists as well as lay people often mean different things when they discuss culture. It is a commonly used and more commonly misused word. Many use the words “culture,” “ethnicity,” and “race,” as if they mean the same thing. Culture is often defined as a way of life of a group of people. However, this definition is quite simplistic; culture is more of a complex, multilayered concept. The word culture comes from the Latin word colo –ere, which means to cultivate or inhabit. The term culture was first used in the social sciences by an anthropologist, Edward B. Tylor in 1871 (Tylor, 1974), who defined culture as “that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” Since Tylor’s initial definition, various individuals and organizations have offered perspectives that emphasize a more comprehensive view as shown in the examples that follow:
Current Psychiatry Reviews, 2008
The diagnosis of personality disorders is highly dependent on how a society views certain behavior. Self concept, adaptation and social context are important aspects of the cultural dimensions of personality disorders. However, the relevance and implications of the influence of sociocultural factors are seen differently. Accordingly, there are very distinct conceptional, nosological and diagnostic approaches for classifying personality dispositions and personality disorders in a cross-cultural perspective. The present paper describes the social and cultural context of migration from an European perspective. A review of the literature on mental health risk in immigrants is given, and special focus is placed on the impact of culture on the development of personality in general and on the emergence and manifestation versus prevention of personality disorders in specific. Due to globalization and migration processes clinicians and therapists are increasingly called upon to assess the level of personality functioning, not only in patients from different ethnic backgrounds, but also in traumatized refugees and migrants. Multiple social and cultural factors have an influence on each level of the diagnostic and therapeutic process. In addition to thorough background knowledge concerning trauma, migration and culture specific issues, cultural sensitivity and cultural competence are requisite for clinicians and therapists.