Responses

ORIGINAL QUESTION {Don`t answer or respond to this}

Cultural Competence and Sensitivity

Not only is context important in determining whether an individual's behavior meets the criteria for a mental disorder, but culture and family background can also be important factors. Some behaviors would clearly be "abnormal" in any culture or family, while other behaviors are not so clearly defined.

Using your textbook and internet, research the role of cultural norms in identifying mental disorders. Based on your research, respond to the following:

· Why is culture an important consideration in the interview, assessment, and diagnostic process?

· How might your own cultural, ethnic, or family values, rules, or traditions be misinterpreted as "abnormal" by someone from a dissimilar background? Give examples in your answer.

 

 

PROFESSOR

Ezekiel, can you give us some examples of cultures that tend to express depression more somatically than emotionally or behaviorally? Dr R

DISCUSSION 1

It’s critical that you understand a person’s culture in order to identify what might be normal or abnormal to them.  Some cultures instill beliefs that are vastly different than how American’s view normal behavior.  “Decisions about abnormal behavior always involve social judgments and are based on the values and expectations of society at large. This means that culture plays a role in determining what is and is not abnormal. For example, in the United States, people do not believe that it is acceptable to murder a woman who has a premarital or an extramarital relationship. However, karo-kari (a form of honor killing where a woman is murdered by a male relative because she is considered to have brought disgrace onto her family) is considered justifiable by many people in Pakistan.” (Patel & Gadet, 2008)  This is just an example of why cultural consideration is critical to the interview, assessment and diagnostic process. 

The textbook talked about how someone in the Amish community would view an Amish driving as abnormal behavior while to the rest of the world would see it as perfectly normal. Some cultural or family values that could be misinterpreted would be spanking children, and differences in religion.  In Ukraine it’s considered good luck to decorate Christmas trees with spider webs and fake spiders.  Most of us from the United States would view that as weird and not normal.  There are far too many examples of cultural diversity throughout this world but the more you understand the better equipped you are to diagnose and treat your patients no matter where they come from. 

Reference:  Patel, S., & Gadit, M. (2008). Karo-Kari: A form of honor killing in Pakistan. Transcult. Psychiatry, 45, 683–94

 

DISCUSSION 2

Hi guys!

Culture is important to consider when assessing a client for a mental disorder because differences in cultures may cause us to think that there really is a mental disorder when in reality, it is only a culture difference.  For example, in Pennsylvania, it is considered abnormal for people to watch television or drive so in that country, a person could be analyzed and diagnosed as having a mental disorder (Butcher, J. N., Hooley, J. M., Mineka, S. M., 2013).  Just like in America, it would not be normal for a naked man to walk down the street like in other cultures (Argosy University Online [AUO], 2014).  When interviewing, assessing, and diagnosing patients, we must look at a person’s culture and background and not jump to conclusions (AUO, 2014).

My culture would be considered abnormal if I were to visit Pakistan without covering my head because my culture is different.  Likewise, if Pakistan people come here to live, they would consider us Americans as ‘loose’ or abnormal because we show off our bodies and do not hide ourselves (J. Johnson, personal communication, November 6, 2015).  One of my friends married an Iranian man and said that once inside a home, the women take off their veils (J. Johnson, personal communication, November 6, 2015).  Further, Moran, R. T., Harris, P. R., & Moran, S. V. (2007) found that Arab women display themselves in public as passive, which changes once they are behind closed doors.  Inside the home, these women are powerful and make decisions on family matters.  I found this interesting as people portray themselves differently in public so that the rest of us do not really know who they are, which is why we should not jump to conclusions and assume anything.    

Reference:

Argosy University Online [AUO]. (2015). Abnormal Psychology. Module 1: Overview. Retrieved from http://www.myeclassonline.com

Butcher, J. N., Hooley, J. M., Mineka, S. M. (07/2013). Abnormal Psychology, 16th Edition. [VitalSource Bookshelf Online]. Retrieved from http://digitalbookshelf.argosy.edu/#/books/9781269939485/