Cultural Diversity and Mental Health: Considerations for Policy and Practice

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the key considerations that lie at the intersection of cultural diversity and mental health. Mental health providers and professionals across the world have to work with clients that are often from cultures other than their own. The differences in cultures have a range of implications for mental health practice, ranging from the ways that people view health and illness, to treatment seeking patterns, the nature of the therapeutic relationship and issues of racism and discrimination. This paper will excavate some of these considerations with a view to raising possible ways in which mental health systems and professionals can engage across cultures more equitably and sustainably.

Factors influencing cognitive reactivity among young adults at high risk for depression in China: a cross-sectional study

“…Although the same instrument was used (LEIDS), our findings were still higher than in a population of mixed clinical/healthy individuals in the Netherlands [37] and a Spanish mixed-population [38], and slightly lower than non-depressed Iranian individuals [39] and recurrently depressed patients in remission in the Netherlands [5]. These disparities could be attributable to sociocultural aspects differences and the utilization of or access to mental health services differences for Asian and western countries, which needed to be further explored [19].…”

Factors influencing cognitive reactivity among young adults at high risk for depression in China: a cross-sectional study

“…Although the same instrument was used (LEIDS), our findings were still higher than in a population of mixed clinical/healthy individuals in the Netherlands [36] and a Spanish mixed-population [37], and slightly lower than non-depressed Iranian individuals [38] and recurrently depressed patients in remission in the Netherlands [5]. These disparities could be attributable to the differences in development of mental health services for Asian and western countries, which needed to be further explored [18].…”

“…The majority of studies on CR have been conducted in western countries, and relatively few have examined either the current status or related influencing factors (especially positive ones) of CR in Asian countries. However, cultural teachings often influence beliefs about the origins and nature of mental illness and shape attitudes towards the mentally ill [18]. CR findings from western countries may not directly apply to the Chinese context.…”

“…CR findings from western countries may not directly apply to the Chinese context. For example, in China, where many cultures value "conformity to norms, emotional self-control, [and] family recognition through achievement," depression is often stigmatized and seen as a source of shame [18].…”

Perspectives of Patients With Mental Illness on How to Better Teach and Evaluate Diversity Education in the National Health Service

“…These differences have a range of implications for mental-health practice, from the ways individuals view health and illness, interpret, and respond to life experiences and the quality of clinical interactions. 2 It has often been implicitly inferred that health care professionals' ability to work effectively in a diverse population is dependent on their acquisition of "cultural competence." 3,4 Several definitions of cultural competence exist, the most commonly cited being "a set of congruent behaviours, attitudes and policies that come together in a system, agency or among professionals and enables that system, agency or those professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations."…”