Topic:Cultural mental disorders
Details:ESSAY QUESTION FOUR PSY 11 Sections 15 and 16. This question will be evaluated based on the rubric provided in the syllabus on a five-point scale. You may NOT use quotations of any kind. All ideas or examples must be original. The answer must be TYPED in your own words. This question is due on the day of the final exam by the START of the exam—no late submissions accepted—NO EXCEPTIONS. TWO POINTS OF EXTRA CREDIT will be awarded if this essay is submitted by the start of class on Wednesday, December 9*** Most investigators agree that the principal categories of serious psychological disturbance, (e.g., schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar illness), are identifiable in all cultures. Most behaviors that are regarded as clearly abnormal in Western cultures, such as the United States, are also viewed as abnormal in other cultures. People who have delusions, hallucinations, are disoriented, and incoherent are thought to be disturbed in all societies, although there are cultural differences in exactly what is considered delusional or hallucinatory. One fascinating area of research on culture and mental health focuses on culture-specific disorders (also known as culture-bound syndromes). These terms refer to forms of mental illness that are unique to a certain culture or locale. Some disorders are unique to a specific culture and may only be understood within the context of that culture. One example of a culture-specific disorder is anorexia nervosa, primarily found in Western industrialized nations. Directions: Choose a culture-specific disorder to investigate using your library resources (such as books on culture and psychopathology or journal articles indexed in PsychLIT or PsychINFO) or the internet. CITE YOUR SOURCES. IF YOU PLAGIARIZE OR FAIL TO CITE YOUR SOURCES YOU WILL RECEIVE A ZERO FOR THE ASSIGNMENT. Several culture-specific disorders are listed below, though you may discover other sin your search. Before you start, read through the questions that follow and be prepared to address these with the information you gather. Amok brain fag latah Ataque de nervios dhat pibloktoq Bilis and colera hwa-byung susto Boufee dilerante koro zar Identify and describe the disorder you selected (Where does it take place? Who is affected by it? What is perceived to be the cause? What are the accompanying symptoms? How is it treated?). Some scientists argue that psychological disorders are much the same around the world and that basic standards of normality and abnormality are universal across cultures. Other scientists argue that criteria of mental illness vary greatly across cultures and that there are no universal standards of normality and abnormality. What do the culture-bound syndromes suggest about this argument? In our culture, clinicians use a manual known as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to diagnose a person’s mental illness. What does this activity suggest about the accuracy of the DSM in diagnosing a person’s mental illness, particularly if the person is from another culture? Assignment taken from: Goldstein, S. (2000). Cross-cultural explorations. Activities in culture and psychology. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Whittlesey, V. (2001). Diversity activities for psychology. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
