Cultural Psychopathology: Uncovering the Social World of Mental Illness

Abstract

We review cultural psychopathology research since Kleinman's (1988) important review with the goals of updating past reviews, evaluating current conceptualizations and methods, and identifying emerging substantive trends. Conceptual advances are noted, particularly developments in the definition of culture and the examination of both culture-specific and cultural-general processes. The contributions of the Culture and Diagnosis Task Force for DSM-IV and the World Mental Health Report are reviewed and contrasted. Selected research on anxiety, schizophrenia, and childhood disorders is examined, with particular attention given to the study of ataque de nervios, social factors affecting the course of schizophrenia, and cross-national differences in internalizing and externalizing problems in children. Within the last ten years, cultural psychopathology research has become a significant force. Its focus on the social world holds promise to make significant inroads in reducing suffering and improving people's everyday lives.

Mental health help seeking among Filipinos: a review of the literature

“…Unfortunately, very little research exists on Filipinos' conceptualization and expression of mental illness or psychological distress. Other areas that need more research are on the domain of the cultural expressions of psychopathology and culture-bound illnesses (López & Guarnaccia, 2000). As long as there is a disconnection between the etiological beliefs of psychological disorders and the type of services that mental health practitioners provide, then we should expect a continued underutilization of mental health services and a continued preference for folk healers and social networks to alleviate psychological problems (Furnham & Hayward, 1997;Kulhara, Avasthi, & Sharma, 2000;Lee, 2007;Urdaneta, Saldana, & Winkler, 1995).…”

Cultural relevance and equivalence in the NLAAS instrument: integrating etic and emic in the development of cross‐cultural measures for a psychiatric epidemiology and services study of Latinos

“…Culture is defined as the product of group values, beliefs, norms, practices and experiences that pertain to a given ethnocultural group (Lopez and Guarnaccia, 2000). Although ethnic minorities share a common context with mainstream culture, each group has unique cultural characteristics that permeate their lives such as immigration history or loss of social ties with their home country.…”

“…This limitation has been called the "category fallacy" (Kleinman and Good, 1985). Several investigators have devised strategies that attempt to integrate emic and etic perspectives into one overall research methodology that is both culturally valid and generalizable (see Canino et al, 1997 andLopez andGuarnaccia, 2000 for examples from mental health research). Similarly, the instrument adaptation model presented in this paper integrates both the etic and emic perspectives.…”

Korean migrants' experiences and attitudes towards mental illness and mental health services in New Zealand

“…Culture has been identified as not simply lying within an individual, rather, culture is a dynamic process where a set of values or beliefs are shaped by the engagement or interaction between an individual and their social network (López & Guarnaccia, 2000).…”