HC 11 cultural psychology

Question 1

Abnormality perspectives: universalist perspective?

Answer 1

many disorders have identical symptoms across cultures
–> Alzheimer, Parkinson, schizophrenia, autism

Question 2

Abnormality perspectives: cultural relativism?

Answer 2

–> view that culture and psychopathology are intertwined, disorders
can be understood only in the cultural framework within which they occur
–> culture and psychopathology are intertwined

Question 3

Abnormality perspectives: frequentist approach?

Answer 3

–> denied because not all rare behaviors are disorders
- Defining abnormality as causing distress  not all disorders cause distress
- Defining abnormality as going against the norm  depends on the culture,
homosexuality is seen as against the norm in many countries but it’s no disorder

Question 4

Cultural concepts of distress (according to the DSM V)?

Answer 4

1. Cultural syndromes of distress: patterns of symptoms that tend to cluster together for individuals in specific cultural groups, communities, or contexts
2. Cultural idioms of distress: ways that communities and cultural groups communicate and express their distressing thoughts, behaviors, and emotions
3. Cultural explanations of distress: what communities and cultural groups believe is the cause of the distress, symptoms, or illness

Question 5

Culture specific example: somatization?

Answer 5

• More prototropically collectivist cultures report their psychological distress with most
  somatic symptoms (physical symptoms, complaints)
• More prototypically individualist cultures report their psychological distress with
  more psychological symptoms (emotional symptoms, complaints)

Question 6

Results of failure in addressing issues of assessment?

Answer 6

1. Overpathologizing: considering behavior as pathological, when behavior is a normal variation for that individual’s culture
2. Underpathologizing: indiscriminately seeing behavior as cultural, when behavior actually reflects abnormal psychological response

Question 7

Expressed-emotion construct?

Answer 7

= family and social interactions (hostility, criticism, over-involvement) influence the course of
schizophrenia

Question 8

Results of study on how hearing voices is perceived in different countries?

Answer 8

–> Certain countries (India and Ghana) who believe in spirits saw the voices as pleasant, and the voices were most often relatives

Question 9

Depression?

Answer 9

• Characterized by physical, motivational, emotional and behavioral changes
• Universally women are more likely to experience depression than men
• Cross-cultural symptoms: sadness, joylessness, anxiety, tension, lack of energy, loss
  of interest, loss of ability to concentrate, ideas of insuffiency
• In collectivist countries, somatic symptoms are more prevalent

Question 10

ADHD?

Answer 10

• Characterized by inattentiveness, impulsivity and hyperactivity, interfering with social
  and academic functioning
• 2 main views of causes of ADHD
  1. Biological
  2. Social/cultural
• Variation in prevalence rates across the world due to methodological differences
  –> ADHD may be a universal disorder

Question 11

Minorities characteristics: African Americans?

Answer 11

• Important to look at the historical context
• Have lower rates of depression
  –> attributed to strong family, community and religious networks
• Higher rates of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia  explained by lower socioeconomic status

Question 12

Minorities characteristics: Latino Americans?

Answer 12

• Very heterogenous group and fastest growing
  –> varying rates of mental illnesses
• Important to look at ethnic community vitality and strength when making
  conclusions about prevalence of illnesses

Question 13

Minorities characteristics: Asian Americans?

Answer 13

• Very heterogenous group with low prevalence
• Looked at as the model minority, which masks mental health issues

Question 14

Minorities characteristics: native Americans?

Answer 14

• Higher prevalence on depression, disorders, alcohol abuse
• Attributed to culture loss and trauma of their historical past

Question 15

Common mental health problems in immigrants & refugees?

Answer 15

• Initial health issues of immigrants lower than general population
• Most important is the prevalence of trauma (in refugees)

Question 16

Psychotherapy?

Answer 16

= a method of healing that emphasizes an explicit focus on the self
–> Has a western origin and is focused on the individual; talking about issues

Question 17

Views on role of the person?

Answer 17

1. Egocentric: defined by personal history, the locus of control is the individual and the effective healing system is psychotherapy
2. Sociocentric: defined by their community, the locus of control is their group, and the effective healing system is a collective ritual or family therapy
3. Ecocentric: defined by the environment, locus of control is the nature and the elements, and the effective healing system is shamanism
4. Cosmocentric: defined by their ancestors, the locus of control are gods or spirits, and the effective healing system is possession of divination

Question 18

The two positions in psychotherapy?

Answer 18

1. Cultural relativist position: psychotherapy was developed in a specific culture and
   cannot be exported to other cultures
2. Universalist position: there are aspects of psychotherapy that are relevant for all people
   –> culturally sensitive (modified) psychotherapies are useful

Question 19

Differences within and between countries in general treatment?

Answer 19

• Those in lower income countries are less likely to receive treatment than those in countries with more economic resources
• Same difference within one country, mental health utilization and length of treatment differ by racial or ethnic group

Question 20

Treatment barriers: language?

Answer 20

= language proficiency affects the use of mental services
- Lowering the barrier by using interpreters works, but not on the long term

Question 21

Treatment barriers: stigma and mistrust?

Answer 21

= emotions such as shame and loss of face is associated with mental health services
- For Asian Americans and African Americans especially
- Mistrust is especially high in groups that experienced unethical studies, especially African Americans

Question 22

Treatment barriers: beliefs on healt and illness?

Answer 22

= people are encouraged to rely on willpower to confront problems rather than relying on formal treatment
- Some groups feel strong and get through it themselves, or groups don’t want to rely on others
- Holistic and medical views do not match

Question 23

Treatment barriers: social structures and policies?

Answer 23

= lack of availability of mental health services, health insurance, and culturally competent services

Question 24

Removing barriers?

Answer 24

Barriers interact with racial or ethnic backgrounds, immigration status, and socioeconomic
status
- Hire bilingual and bicultural staff
- Increasing outreach and practitioners in the community –> decreasing stigma
- Having flexible hours of mental health care, even in odd hours that are not usual
working hours to increase availability

Question 25

Culturally competent services: to be effective every counselor should have;?

Answer 25

1. Cultural awareness and beliefs
2. Cultural knowledge
3. Cultural skills
   –> understanding & respecting the histories etc. of cultural groups

Question 26

Types of matches?

Answer 26

• Cognitive matches: similar outlooks on therapy
• Cultural matching: similar worldview and expression
• Language matching
• Ethnic matching: you are from the same ethnic group –> not as effective for therapy, but very important for counseling (step before therapy) or in people having a very strong ethnic identity

Question 27

Does psychotherapy work with ethnic minorities?

Answer 27

yes, including modifications

Question 28

Do psychotherapy (adjusted to specific group) effects differ by ethnicity?

Answer 28

mostly invariant

Question 29

Does cultural tailoring enhance treatment effect?

Answer 29

yes, but mixed evidence, it depends on moderators/mediators and treatmentspecific variables

Question 30

Traditional medicine?

Answer 30

treatments that have a long history within a culture and that are indigenous to that culture

Question 31

Complementary medicine?

Answer 31

treatments offered in a culture that do not originate in
that culture