Inequalities in mental health: predictive processing and social life

Abstract

Purpose of review The paper applies recent conceptualisations of predictive processing to the understanding of inequalities in mental health. Recent findings Social neuroscience has developed important ideas about the way the brain models the external world, and how the interface between cognitive and cultural processes interacts. These resonate with earlier concepts from cybernetics and sociology. These approaches could be applied to understanding some of the dynamics leading to the patterning of mental health problems in populations. Summary The implications for practice are the way such thinking might help illuminate how we think and act, and how these are anchored in the social world.

Burdening the Predictive Mind: A Predictive Processing Approach to Health-Related Burdens

“…• social inequality and health outcomes [Kelly et al, 2021] • subjective well-being and happiness , Smith et al, 2022c • biopsychosocial approaches to disease [Smith et al, 2019] • stress [Arnaldo et al, 2022, Hartwig et al, 2022, Peters et al, 2017 • fatigue [Greenhouse-Tucknott et al, 2022, Stephan et al, 2016 • anxiety [McGovern et al, 2022] • self-efficacy [Bottemanne andFriston, 2021, Stephan et al, 2016] • medical non-adherence [Smith et al, 2021] • symptom perception [Kube et al, 2020, Maisto et al, 2021, Van den Bergh et al, 2017 • subjective effort [Parr et al, 2023, Zénon et al, 2019 • mental distress [ Van de Cruys and Van Dessel, 2021] Finally, the scope of the present analysis is limited to a consideration of three types of burden, namely, symptom, treatment, and side-effects burden. In future work, it will be important to consider a more expanded array of burden types, including, for example, the burden experienced by informal and formal caregivers, what is often referred to as caregiver burden [Adelman et al, 2014, Bastawrous, 2013, Liu et al, 2020.…”

World Mental Health Day 2021: Mental Health in an Unequal World

“…As a consequence, inequalities in mental health have deprived several people in experiencing integrated, resourceful, meaningful, and dignified lives. 9 Though the intrinsic relationship between equity and mental health has been well comprehended, very few nodal strategies have been undertaken till date to address the inequities and disparities. Growing inequalities due to race and ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity, lack of respect for human rights, and stigma and discrimination against people with mental health conditions have created a clear societal divide.…”