Do you let me symptomatize? The potential role of cultural values in cross-national variability of mental disorders’ prevalence

Abstract

Background: Mental disorders may show inherent cross-national variability in their prevalence. A considerable number of meta-analyses attribute this heterogeneity to the methodological diversity in published epidemiological studies. Cultural values are characteristically not assessed in meta-regression models as potential covariates. Aim: Our aim was to conduct a meta-regression analysis to explore to what extent certain cultural values and immigration rates (as indicator of cultural diversity) might be associated with the cross-national heterogeneity of prevalence rates. Method: To minimize methodological differences that may exert a confounding effect, prevalence rates were obtained from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Mental Health Survey Initiative. Cultural indices (overall emancipative values; overall secular values) were collected from the World Value Survey, while immigration rates were registered by utilizing the data of the United Nations’ World Population Policies 2005 report. Results: Meta-regression analysis indicated that overall emancipative values (i.e. promoting self-expression, non-violent protest) showed significant connection with lifetime and last year prevalence of any mood disorders (Z = 4.71, p = .001; Z = 2.35, p = .02) and any internalizing disorders (a merged category that combined mood and anxiety disorders; Z = 2.82, p = .004; Z = 2.34, p = .02). Overall secular values (i.e. rejecting authority and obedience) were negatively associated with last year prevalence of depression (Z = −2.75, p = .06). Multistep regression analysis indicated that immigration rate moderated the connection between cultural values and mental disorders. Countries with higher immigration rates showed higher emancipative and secular values. Conclusion: Our findings might function as potential foundation for formulating hypotheses regarding the cultural context’s influence on the population’s mental health.

Exploring the Predictors of Co-Nationals’ Preference over Immigrants in Accessing Jobs—Evidence from World Values Survey

“…H2. Those who subscribe to altruism [56], including working in the benefit of large communities, emancipative values [57], and against any discrimination no matter the type [58], ideologies including multiculturalism [59], and trust in people no matter their origins, are more inclined to accept immigrants when it comes to access to jobs.…”

Grieving Parents’ Meaning-Making Narration in Relation to Value Orientations: A Cross-Cultural Study

“…The construct of personal modern and traditional values was validated in both Chinese and Swiss samples (Xiu et al, 2017). Moreover, modern cultural values, such as secular-rational values, were found negatively associated with the prevalence of mood disorder (Kapita´ny-F€ ov eny et al, 2018). Identifying with more traditional values was associated with more severe mental health problems, whereas identifying with modern values was associated with resilience against stressful life events (Maercker et al, 2009;Mu¨ller et al, 2011).…”

“…Researchers in health and clinical psychology are increasingly interested in the role of cultural values in the cross-national variability of symptom expression (Kapitány-Fövény, Richman, Demetrovics, & Sulyok, 2018; Maercker, 2001) and also in the function of personal value orientations as predictors of mental health (Iosifyan, Arina, & Flahault, 2016; Maercker et al., 2009; Müller, Forstmeier, Wagner, & Maercker, 2011; Zimmermann et al., 2014). To integrate these two levels, the current study explored a higher order dimension of value orientations: traditional vs. modern values.…”