The Synergistic Influence of Life Experiences and Cultural Nuances on Development of Depression: A Cognitive Behavioral Perspective

Abstract

The synergistic influences of everyday life experiences, societal expectations, and cultural nuances affect a person's ability to successfully manage their life and remain mentally healthy. Persons from culturally and ethnically diverse populations may incur depression when societal expectations and cultural influences are in conflict with each other. Chronic stress, often-referred to as toxic stress, contributes to the development of depression as it is unrelenting, beginning in childhood and continuing into adulthood. This article discusses connections between societal expectations, persons' cultural perspectives as well as the role that these connections may contribute to in the development of toxic stress and depression. Beck's Cognitive Behavioral Theory provides a basis to describe the role that synergistic influences play in development of depression for culturally and ethnically diverse persons.

Using the life course health development model to address pediatric mental health disparities

“…Childhood life course is also heavily influenced by culture and socially driven cultural norms that contribute to structural and depression disparities (Warren, 2020;Williams et al, 2019). Halfon and Hochstein (2002) suggest that the development of health occurs in synergy with person-environment interactions.…”

“…The home, family, and social environments of school‐aged children are critical for their ability to successfully move through developmental stages and develop a healthy life trajectory (Buka et al, 2022). Childhood life course is also heavily influenced by culture and socially driven cultural norms that contribute to structural and depression disparities (Warren, 2020; Williams et al, 2019). Halfon and Hochstein (2002) suggest that the development of health occurs in synergy with person‐environment interactions.…”

“…School‐aged children are those old enough to attend primary or secondary school from elementary (5–10 years old), middle school (11–13 years old), to high school (14–18 years old). Typically, the onset of depression in children is between 8 and 14 years of age; school‐aged children are at greater risk for depression if either parent currently has depression or had it in the past (Warren, 2020). During elementary and middle school, the rate of depression in children is 5%; the rate increases to 10%–20% during high school years with rates for adolescent females three times higher than for adolescent males (Melnyk et al, 2022).…”

“…Moreover, child mental healthcare largely lacks a developmentally appropriate prevention focus; most care for depression begins late, once symptoms are well‐established (Buka et al, 2022). To reduce these persistent health disparities and address threats from life events such as the pandemic, new research paradigms for developing interventions and healthcare delivery models are critically needed (Halfon et al, 2022; Warren, 2020).…”

The Impact of Interpersonal Cognitive Distortions on Satisfaction with Life and the Mediating Role of Loneliness

“…These irrational thought structures, conceptualized as cognitive distortions, are among the problems individuals can face in their relationships [12]. To understand the reasons for cognitive distortions experienced by individuals in the relationships, some factors on cultural, environmental, and genetic factors must be explained [13][14][15]. When loneliness is considered among environmental factors, it can affect cognitive distortions in relationships and decrease life satisfaction.…”