Sociocultural Influence On Mental Health

Derald (2013) stated, “The adage “counselor or therapist, know thyself” is the basic building block to cultural competence in the helping professions.” (P.6) Part of connecting with clients includes the separation and awareness of the helping professional versus the other person. The helping profession has not always embraced the awareness of self in regards to culture. To be culturally competent the helping professional should conceptualize the issue with the understanding of the cultural background of their client. In this paper I will summarize significant historical changes in society that influenced

Brown, T. N., Donato, K. M., Laske, M. T., & Duncan, E. M. (2012). Race, Nativity, Ethnicity, and Cultural Influences in the Sociology of Mental Health. Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research Handbook of the Sociology of Mental Health, 255-276.

A mental disorder is a breakdown in development, mental process, or physical realm created by a problem in the thoughts, emotions, or behaviors of an individual as noted by disabling conditions on a personal, familial, social, and occupational level (Shiraev & Levy, 2017). To be considered a mental disorder, there must be distress on the part of the individual affected by the clinical findings (Shiraev & Levy, 2017). Diagnoses of mental disorders can be challenging because of cultural input. Shiraev and Levy (2017) suggested “subjective experience”, “idioms of distress”, “diagnoses”, “treatment”, and “outcome” are affected by the individual cultures (p. 253). Basically, how a person manifests their symptoms is based on cultural practices,

In addition to being more likely to suffer from domestic abuse and therefore develop several mental disorders CBT is known to treat, South Asian women are also more likely to have negative help-seeking attitudes; these attitudes are influence by several factors related to South Asian culture. In many South Asian countries, mental illness is attached to an enormous amount of stigma, and is rarely treated like a health problem. Because of this cultural climate, South Asian women have an extremely difficult time not

Cultural Accommodations: According to Purnell (2013), culture is observed differently among patients, families and the society at large. In regards to mental illness, the awareness and sensitivity to culture and diversity will promote compliance to treatment which will, in turn, lead to an effective patient outcome.

According to Spencer et al. Asian Americans often stigmatize mental health. As a result many individuals forgo taking advantage of mental health services because it promotes cultural feelings of shame or embarrassment.2 The article analyzed the connection between discrimination and the usage of mental health services on a national sample of Asian Americans.

It is amazing to see the strong relationship between Lia and her parents and how this relationship led to a long life for Lia. The mother preferred to carry her daughter instead of using the wheelchair. The parents always dressed Lia well when they brought her to the clinic. Also, they never seemed embarrassed by their daughter.

I found this to link well with the article, specifically when the article discusses client variables and ways that individual differences can change the effectiveness or harm that a specific treatment brings about. As different countries look at which treatments are helpful or harmful for patients in that area, it would be interesting to see the differences that individuals have, and whether that causes a treatment to be helpful in the treatment of a certain disorder in one country, while actually causing harm to people with the same disorder in other parts of the world. It is crucial for psychologists to remember that cultural differences can have large and sprawling effects, and that this can change how patients will react to a given treatment. It is encouraging that many countries have already adopted guidelines to determine which treatments can and cannot be administered, and it is also reassuring that each country looks at the treatments separately. This is helping to ensure that clients in all areas of the world have the best care possible, while taking into account individual and cultural

Mental health illnesses affect everyone. It is highly prevalent affecting people of all ages, gender, cultures, and social groups. Attitudes towards mental health illnesses vary among individuals and often are highly influenced by the various cultures that the individuals identify with. Culture as a social concept can be defined as a set of norms, values, behaviours, and beliefs that are common and shared amongst a group of individuals (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999). Culture can be applicable to groups like Asians and Americans but also to groups of shared norms, beliefs, and values established within professions such as the culture of patients and practitioners. Culture provides these groups with structure and context to understanding their society and the world as a whole. Culture influence a wide range of aspects of mental health, including how mental health is perceived by the patient, how the patient will experience mental health stigma, and how they cope with symptoms of mental health illness. Additionally, these cultural influences impact the relationship between the patient and the practitioner in a number of ways.

These statistics suggest that Japanese people, historically, may be happier to ignore the mentally ill. And that that historical attitude is influencing contemporary practices. Mentally ill people are less accepted and integrated into society. Because of cultural prejudice against the mentally ill, they are considered more unwell and unsafe, and in more need of hospitalization. Another factor is the relatively small amount of care available outside of hospitals. Opportunities and support for the mentally ill outside of hospitals may be limited by the stigma they face as well. Outside resources are growing, but still not largely used and accessible.

Mental health is defined as an individual’s optimal care in managing the stress of everyday life, through their own unique approach and can efficiently and successfully make vital contribution within the community they live in (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, 2013). Since a break in a person’s optimal mental state affects not only the individual but society, it is important to understand what it means to have a break in one’s state of mental health and the different categories that is associated with mental illness. Focus will also be paid to why there is a need for the reformation of the mental health act in Canada; the social determinants that is associated with mental health and their contribution to society’s health’s. Finally, focus also need to be placed on how mental health is being promoted to society the stigma generally associated with it.

Using this in therapy would help with the issues that surrounds the client in their surroundings. The times we are living in is embraced by individuals worldwide from all kinds of different backgrounds from sex, religion, and races. The therapist needs to work towards making the client comfortable as possible, particularly with their cultural beliefs. The behavioral approach can cause some friction between people from different cultures. The therapist must do his homework on the client’s cultural beliefs, and basically how the client was raised in his environment.

A group reflection on communication and cultural differences has been undertaken to deliberate on and examine the resulting impacts on occupational therapy (OT) practice. As such, we have collectively chosen to define culture as “…a way of life for a group (society) that is shared and learned. Culture is not confined to observable phenomena nor is it bounded or static” (Farmer et al., 2012, p. 243). It involves the collective sharing of beliefs, norms, values, and behaviours (Halloran, 2004, as cited in Farmer et al., 2012). Within the domain of culture, there exist cultural universals that transcend all human groups (e.g., language and gender roles). Conversely, the term cultural particulars has been coined to distinguish one culture from another (e.g., parental expectations of children, and beliefs about a woman’s role in the home) (Murdock, 1945).

Distinctive ways to deal with treatment inside various cultures, and the route in which culture can strengthen the stigma of certain illness. Cultural pluralism recognizes differences in beliefs about mental illness, health, and spiritual convictions. Culture assumes a significant part in therapy. The probability of someone looking for help, is often influenced by social considerations.

As mentioned in the literature review, no studies have focused on socio cultural aspects of Therapeutic relation ship in Indian outpatient physiotherapy department. Therefore, the intention of this study is to seek an in-depth understanding of socio cultural factors that associates with therapeutic relationship in outpatient physiotherapy settings in India by using a focused ethnographic design. This study will be conduct through two phases. The first phase of this study will be focused on participant observation and on the basis of the findings from the first phase of the study, the second stage will be conducted by using semi structured interviews.