Lecture 3 - CULTURAL ISSUES IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY Flashcards
MULTICULTURALISM AS THE “FOURTH FORCE” OF PSYCHOLOGY
It emphasizes the importance of understanding individuals within the context of their unique cultural, ethnic, and social identities.
Multiculturalism
RECENT PROFESSIONAL EFFORTS TO EMPHASIZE ISSUES OF CULTURE
A culture-specific syndrome characterized by an intense fear of offending others through perceived flaws in one’s behavior, appearance, or body odor.
Related DSM Disorder: Social Anxiety Disorder
TAIJIN KYOFUSHO
(Japan)
RECENT PROFESSIONAL EFFORTS TO EMPHASIZE ISSUES OF CULTURE
Translates to “fright” and is believed to occur after a traumatic or startling event. Symptoms include anxiety, depression, and somatic complaints due to the belief that one’s soul has left the body.
Related DSM Disorder: PTSD or Anxiety Disorders.
SUSTO
(Latin America)
RECENT PROFESSIONAL EFFORTS TO EMPHASIZE ISSUES OF CULTURE
Literally “human-caused illness,” it refers to illnesses attributed to malicious intent or spiritual attacks by others, often linked to envy or jealousy.
Related DSM Concept: Paranoid ideation or psychosis with cultural interpretation.
MALADI MOUN (Haiti)
RECENT PROFESSIONAL EFFORTS TO EMPHASIZE ISSUES OF CULTURE
A condition marked by anxiety and somatic complaints attributed to the loss of semen, believed to deplete vital energy.
Related DSM Disorder: Somatic Symptom Disorder or Anxiety Disorder.
DHAT Syndrome
(South Asia)
RECENT PROFESSIONAL EFFORTS TO EMPHASIZE ISSUES OF CULTURE
Translates to “thinking too much”. Associated with stress, rumination, and physical complaints. Often linked to social
or economic problems.
Related DSM Disorder: Depressive or Anxiety Disorders.
KUFUNGISISA
(Zimbabwe/Shona Culture)
RECENT PROFESSIONAL EFFORTS TO EMPHASIZE ISSUES OF CULTURE
Sudden, unprovoked episodes of aggressive and violent behavior, often followed by amnesia for the event.
Related DSM Disorder: Intermittent
Explosive Disorder.
AMOK
(Southeast Asia; Malaysia and Indonesia)
RECENT PROFESSIONAL EFFORTS TO EMPHASIZE ISSUES OF CULTURE
Episodes of intense emotional distress, including crying, screaming, trembling, and sometimes dissociation, typically triggered by family or relational conflicts.
Related DSM Disorder: Panic Disorder or
Conversion Disorder.
ATAQUE DE NERVIOS
(Latin America)
It involves physical and emotional symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, and a sense of heat or pressure attributed to suppressed anger
Also called “anger syndrome”.
Related DSM Disorder: Depressive Disorder or Somatic Symptom Disorder
HWA-BYUNG
(Korea)
The counselor’s acquisition of awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to function effectively in a multicultural society
CULTURAL COMPETENCE
CULTURAL COMPETENCE
3 main components:
- Awareness
- Knowledge
- Skills
CULTURAL COMPETENCE:
Learning about one’s own culture (Values, assumptions, biases. By doing so, become less egocentric) and realizing that differences are not deficiencies
SELF-AWARENESS
CULTURAL COMPETENCE:
Can gain by:
- Reading, (especially regarding history)
- Direct experiences
- Relationships with people of various cultures
- Asking client to explain cultural meaning (to a limited extent)
Remember that there are exceptions to cultural trends
Metaphor—Asian men tend to be relatively short, but Yao Ming is 7’ 6”
KNOWLEDGE OF DIVERSE CULTURES
A process where an individual adopts, acquires and adjusts to a new cultural environment as a result of being placed into a new culture, or when another culture is brought to someone.
Balance between adopting new and retaining original culture.
Acculturation
CULTURAL COMPETENCE:
Techniques should be consistent with the values and life experiences of each client
“Talk therapy” may work better for some cultural groups than for others. (CBT,
Psychodynamic approach)
Some cultural groups may respond more positively to “action” than “insight”. (Exposure therapy, role-playing)
CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE CLINICAL SKILLS
CULTURAL COMPETENCE: CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE CLINICAL SKILLS
Comments or actions made in cultural context that (often unintentionally) convey negative beliefs. It can suggest dominance and cause marginalization or invalidation.
Microaggressions
Psychologists can avoid by examining their
own beliefs.
TYPES OF MICROAGGRESSIONS:
Overt but subtle discriminatory actions or comments.
(Telling an offensive joke and claiming it’s “just a joke”).
Microassaults
TYPES OF MICROAGGRESSIONS:
Indirect or passive-aggressive remarks that demean a person’s identity.
(Saying “You speak English so well” to a non-native speaker, implying surprise at their proficiency)
Microinsults
TYPES OF MICROAGGRESSIONS:
Dismissing or undermining a person’s lived experiences.
(Saying “They’re still your family.” when a client talks about their family problems.)
Microinvalidations
TRIPARTITE MODEL OF PERSONAL IDENTITY
THREE LEVELS OF IDENTITY:
- Individual level
- Group Level
- Universal Level
THREE LEVELS OF IDENTITY:
Every person is totally unique personal experiences, genetics, and life history that make each person distinct.
Individual level
THREE LEVELS OF IDENTITY:
Every person is like some others shared cultural, social, and demographic factors. (religion, sexual orientation,
ethnicity)
Group level
THREE LEVELS OF IDENTITY
Every person is like all others biological and psychological traits common to all humans (basic emotions, cognitive abilities, needs, etc.)
Universal level
ETIC VS. EMIC PERSPECTIVE
Emphasizes similarities between all people Assumes universality and downplays culture-based differences.
Etic
