Psychology 307: Cultural Psychology April 1 Lecture 21

1. Psychology 307: Cultural PsychologyApril 1 Lecture 21

2. Paper Submission • Students are expected to submit a hard copy of their paper during class on April 8. • Late papers and papers submitted via e-mail, in my mailbox or the TA’s mailbox, or under our office doors will not be accepted. • In addition to submitting a hard copy in class, you must submit an electronic copy to TurnItIn.

3. What is TurnItIn? • TurnItIn is a plagiarism detection system that scans and compares your paper to online content (e.g., other students’ papers, published works, websites). • It provides an “originality report” that documents the overlap between your paper and online content, identifying sources of plagiarized content. • Overlap between your paper and online content is acceptable if you have properly cited the sources (see the course syllabus and APA Publication Manual for citation procedures). Psychology 305 3

4. TurnItIn Instructions • Step-by-step instructions are available in the “Student Quickstart Guide” at http://www.turnitin.com/static/support/guides_manuals.html. • Go to www.turnitin.com. If you do not have an account, create an account by clicking “Create Account.” Psychology 305 4

5. Use the following information to create an account or add Psychology 307 to your existing account: • Class ID: 7882358Password: culture307 Psychology 305 5

6. Additional Notes on TurnItIn • The electronic copy submitted to TurnItIn must be identical to the hard copy submitted in class; do not change the content or format of the document. • Your paper will not be graded if you do not submit it to TurnItIn. • You may view your originality report before submitting the hard copy in class to address any concerns regarding plagiarism. • Please contact your TA if you have any questions or difficulties submitting your paper to TurnItIn. Psychology 305 6

7. Reminder Please complete your evaluation for this course. Your evaluation will be anonymous and secure. To date, 10% of students have completed the evaluation.(Goal: 60% completion rate!) 7

8. A little R&R …. (Review and Reflect)

9. Mental Health • 1. What is a psychological disorder? • What psychological disorders are universally recognized?

10. By the end of today’s class, you should be able to: 1. discuss cultural differences in rates of depression. 2. explain cultural differences in the symptoms of depression. 3. define the term alexithymia.

11. 4. discuss cultural similarities in rates of schizophrenia. 5. discuss cultural differences in the symptoms and prognosis of schizophrenia.

12. What is a psychological disorder? A woman is in the midst of a group of people but seems totally unaware of her surroundings. She is talking loudly to no one in particular, is often using words that people around her find unintelligible, and is occasionally barking. When later questioned about her behaviour, she reports that she was talking with a man who had recently diedand had briefly been possessed by the spirit of a dog.

13. Psychological disorders are typically described as states that: (a) are statistically rare. (b) cause subjective distress or impaired social functioning. • Cognitive or behavioural patterns that are described as psychological disorders in one culture may not be described as psychological disorders in other cultures.

14. In recent years, researchers have become increasingly interested in examining differences in the occurrence of psychological disorders across cultures. • Their research has demonstrated that there are psychological disorders that are universally recognized and psychological disorders that are specific to distinct cultural groups.

15. What psychological disorders are universally recognized? 1. Depression • According to the DSM, depression is characterized by a depressed mood, an inability to experience pleasure, fatigue, changes in appetite or sleep patterns, poor concentration, a sense of guilt or worthlessness, and suicidal ideation.

16. Across cultures, medical practitioners have identified individuals who display this pattern of symptoms, suggesting that depression is a universal psychological disorder.

17. Nevertheless, the prevalence of depression and the primary symptoms of depression vary across cultures. With respect to the primary symptoms of depression, psychological symptoms are most frequently reported in some countries (e.g., Canada, the U.S.), whereas somatic symptoms are most frequently reported in other countries (e.g., China, Mexico).

18. Neurasthenia is a relatively common diagnosis among Chinese psychiatric patients, not found in the DSM. Neurasthenia is characterized by somatic symptoms: poor appetite, headaches, insomnia, inability to concentrate. Kleinman (1982) interviewed Chinese neurasthenia patients and concluded that a majority (87%) could be diagnosed as having depression, although only 9% of them reported depressed mood as a chief complaint.

19. Several theories have been proposed to account for cultural differences in the primary symptoms of depression: (a) Cultural differences in the stigma associated with a psychological versus physiological disorder. (b) Cultural differences in the tendency to attend to psychological versus somatic symptoms. (c) Cultural differences in the tendency to view the mind and body as distinct entities.

20. Ryder et al. (2008): • Compared psychiatric outpatients in China and Canada. • Patients’ symptoms were assessed using three methods: a spontaneous problem report completed with a clinician; a standard clinical interview; and a questionnaire completed privately. • Patients also completed an alexithymia measure.

21. Z-Scores SPR: Spontaneous Problem ReportSCI - Structured Clinical InterviewSxQ - Symptom Questionnaire

22. Found that: (a) Chinese participants obtained higher scores than Canadian participants on concern with stigma, for both psychological and somatic symptoms. (b) Chinese participants obtained higher scores than Canadian participants on alexithymia.

23. 2. Schizophrenia • According to the DSM, schizophrenia is characterized by auditory and visual hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, flat affect, and disorganized or catatonic behaviour. • Across cultures, medical practitioners have identified individuals who display this pattern of symptoms, suggesting that schizophrenia is a universal psychological disorder.

24. Multinational studies (Colombia, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, India, Nigeria, the Soviet Union, Taiwan, US; WHO, 1973, 1919, 1981) indicate that the prevalence of schizophrenia is similar across countries and has remained relatively constant across time.

25. Nevertheless, the primary symptoms of schizophrenia vary across cultures. Paranoid schizophrenia is reported relatively frequently in some countries (e.g., England, the U.S.), whereas catatonic schizophrenia is reported relatively frequently in other countries (e.g., India, Nigeria). • The prognosis for schizophrenia is better for individuals living in developing countries than individuals living in developed countries.

26. 3. Other disorders • There are several other psychological disorders identified in the DSM that are found across cultures: Social anxiety disorder Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Personality disorders (e.g., antisocial personality disorder)

27. By the end of today’s class, you should be able to: 1. discuss cultural differences in rates of depression. 2. explain cultural differences in the symptoms of depression. 3. define the term alexithymia.

28. 4. discuss cultural similarities in rates of schizophrenia. 5. discuss cultural differences in the symptoms and prognosis of schizophrenia.