Reference no: EM133705862
Problem
Culture plays a huge role in treatment and diagnosis within psychology. It influences the prevalence of disorders, the views of an illness, treatment plan approaches, and the manifestation of mental illness. Think about how your cultural perspectives influence what you dictate as abnormal behavior. For example, consider the behavior of a woman showing signs of refusing to leave her home. She shows signs of being reluctant to not leave without her brother, father, or husband. In the lens of American western culture, the woman could be showing symptoms of a mental illness like Agoraphobia, which is the fear and avoidance of places and situations that might cause feelings of panic, entrapment, helplessness, or embarrassment. In another culture, however, we may not consider this behavior abnormal and a sign of mental illness. If this woman lived in a culture with strict rules and values that women should not leave the house without a chaperone or guardian, it would be seen as upholding a cultural norm and belief.
As psychology professionals, we need to understand different disorders and how cultural factors impact the treatment process when working with clients of different cultures. Differences in psychopathology and psychological disorders are related to culture. Acknowledging the role of culture in psychotherapy is essential because it helps to frame specific expectations and customs within the psychotherapy experience. Understanding these differences will assist professionals in helping clients from different cultures and choosing treatment plans that integrate the client's culture.
1) Discuss with your colleagues a news headline or movie plot that displays how culture influenced a client's treatment or diagnosis of a psychological disorder, either in a video or audio response or in a written discussion post. Include in your story:
a) What are the clients' cultural views, beliefs, and perceptions of therapy?
b) How did the cultural factors such as psychological disorders' perceptions positively or negatively affect the therapeutic interventions?
c) What was done to address those perceptions in the therapeutic setting?