Evaluation of Cultural bias in the diagnosis of SZ

Question 1

A03 - Supporting evidence?

Answer 1

P - There is supporting evidence that shows cultural interpretations of SZ symptoms effects diagnosis of disorder.

E - Malgady (1987) research has shown that different cultures interpret symptoms of mental disorders differently. This research showed that in traditional Costa Rican culture, hearing voices is interpreted as spirits talking to someone. Wereas in the USA it would be seen as a key symptom of SZ.

E - This shows how different cultures interpret SZ in different ways, praising them or otherwise.

L - From this, we can say that different cultural views has a heavy impact on correctly diagnosing SZ.

• Malgady (1987)
• interpretation
• Costa Rica
• hearing voices
• spirits
• USA

Question 2

A03 - diagnosis of SZ in different cultures varying intensity

Answer 2

P - There is evidence that in different cultures SZ diagnosis can vary largely from mentaly healthy to unhealthy

E - For example, Copeland (1970) gave a discription of a patient to 134 US and 194 UK psyciatrics. Findings were: 69% US diagnosed SZ, 2% UK diagnosed SZ.

E - This shows that US clinics are far more likely to diagnose SZ than UK.

L - This shows how different cultures have different views of how SZ shows cultural bias towards the diagnosis.

• Copeland (1970)
• 134 US
• 194 UK
• 69% US
• 2% UK

Question 3

A03 - Practical applications?

Answer 3

P - There are strong practical applications with research into cultural bias with the diagnosis of SZ.

E - Finding cultural bias lets training for psychologists into the difference in interpretation of symptoms in cultures.

E - This improves diagnosis as recognising them can lead to more accurate and culturally sensitive assesments.

L - This means psychiatrics can better understand the other cultural expressions of symptoms, improving diagnostic accuracy.

• Practical applications
• Interpretations
• symptoms in cultures
• recognising means more accurate and culturally sensitive assesments

Question 4

A03 - Symptom pools

Answer 4

P - Furthermore, studying other cultures symptoms of SZ allows us to create symptom pools.

E - These symptom pools allow us to see what symptoms of SZ in other countires are.

E - This is benificial for the validity for the diagnosis of SZ as it takes into account a certain culture’s norms meaning validity of diagnosis is beneficial by symptom pools.

• Symptom pools
• other countries