Cultural Awareness and Responsiveness in Person-Centered Psychiatry

Cultural awareness, knowledge, and responsiveness are essential components of person-centered psychiatry. The construct of culture refers to the systems of knowledge, values, institutions, and practices that constitute social systems, including families, communities, and societies. Culture and social context influence the causes of psychiatric disorders by creating identities and social positions that may differentially expose individuals to social stressors including racism, discrimination, and forms of structural violence, as well as to positive social support and resources that promote health, resilience, and well-being. Culture shapes symptom experience, and expression as well as modes of coping and the social response of others in ways that affect the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health problems. The course and outcome of psychiatric disorders depend on the interplay between culturally mediated processes of individual psychology, family and community dynamics, and relationships with the larger society. In this chapter, we outline current thinking about the role of culture in mental health and illness and review approaches to integrating attention to culture and social context in person-centered care. We discuss some specific tools and strategies for culturally informed assessment and treatment and outline some issues for culturally responsive mental health services, health care policy, and mental health promotion.