Culture in mental health disorders

Question 1

How does culture NOT effect diagnosis?

Answer 1

DSM developed in USA - widely used elsewhere
- valid - clearly defined with specific features + symptoms
(scientifically defined)

Lee - study in Korea to see if DSM was valid in non-western cultures for ADHD - it was

Question 2

How DOES culture effect diagnosis?

Answer 2

symptoms for sz (e.g. hearing voices) can be interpreted differently elsewhere - e.g. possessed by spirits - not always valid

Everard - hearing voices can be due to a mental disorder but also individual difference + interpreted as an exceptional experience

Question 3

differences in how hallucinations are interpreted/understood

Answer 3

Luhrmann et al - negative in USA, positive in India + Ghana (could effect clinicians diagnosis)

Question 4

Differences in how treatments effects people

Answer 4

Myers - efforts to help people become more empowered citizens generates more stress

Question 5

strengths of cultural issues in diagnosis

Answer 5

DSM takes account of cultural differences

been an attempt to remove bizzare symptoms in sz - acknowledged that they were up to interpretations, which is where the cultural issues are

Question 6

weaknesses of cultural issues in diagnosis

Answer 6

symptoms of sz in DSM could lead to cultural bias - first rank symptoms should receive less emphasis - clinician may not follow this suggestion