How Sociocultural Context Influences Attitudes toward Therapy
Week 3 Assignment
PSYC: 4006
Walden University
11/03/2013
How Sociocultural Context Influences Attitudes toward Therapy Culture has a great effect on attitudes toward therapy. According to the National Institution of Mental Health each individual or groups of people bring a variation of beliefs to the therapeutic setting such as communicating what issues to report, types of coping styles, social support, and cultural stigma towards mental health. More often it is culture that bears on whether or not an individual will seek help. For example there is a widespread tendency to stigmatize mental illness in Asian countries. People with mental illness are considered dangerous and create social distance and devaluation on their families (Lauber, 2007). This goes against the concept in collectivist cultures that desires to be socially accepted by the community. The attitude towards psychotherapy carries skepticism in the Asian culture especially in rural areas (Lauber, 2007). It seems clear that culture and social contexts play a large part on the attitudes of mental health and what type of therapies are used (Stevens, Gielen, 2007).
How Sociocultural Context Influences Therapist-Client Relationships. In the therapist-client relationship the therapist needs to be concerned with the client’s sociocultural integration (Stevens, Gielen, 2007). Though a therapist has their own culture that differs from the client it is important that a therapist has a worldwide view on the interrelationship among body, mind, and environment (National Institute on Mental Health, 2001). When therapists and clients come from different cultural backgrounds there is a chance that cultural differences may emerge. Therapists may ignore symptoms that the client feels important. Clients may have different ideas on what the therapist is supposed to do (Lauber, 2007). Miscommunication could lead to misdiagnosis, conflict over treatment, and poor adherence to
PSYC: 4006
Walden University
11/03/2013
How Sociocultural Context Influences Attitudes toward Therapy Culture has a great effect on attitudes toward therapy. According to the National Institution of Mental Health each individual or groups of people bring a variation of beliefs to the therapeutic setting such as communicating what issues to report, types of coping styles, social support, and cultural stigma towards mental health. More often it is culture that bears on whether or not an individual will seek help. For example there is a widespread tendency to stigmatize mental illness in Asian countries. People with mental illness are considered dangerous and create social distance and devaluation on their families (Lauber, 2007). This goes against the concept in collectivist cultures that desires to be socially accepted by the community. The attitude towards psychotherapy carries skepticism in the Asian culture especially in rural areas (Lauber, 2007). It seems clear that culture and social contexts play a large part on the attitudes of mental health and what type of therapies are used (Stevens, Gielen, 2007).
How Sociocultural Context Influences Therapist-Client Relationships. In the therapist-client relationship the therapist needs to be concerned with the client’s sociocultural integration (Stevens, Gielen, 2007). Though a therapist has their own culture that differs from the client it is important that a therapist has a worldwide view on the interrelationship among body, mind, and environment (National Institute on Mental Health, 2001). When therapists and clients come from different cultural backgrounds there is a chance that cultural differences may emerge. Therapists may ignore symptoms that the client feels important. Clients may have different ideas on what the therapist is supposed to do (Lauber, 2007). Miscommunication could lead to misdiagnosis, conflict over treatment, and poor adherence to
References: Office of the Surgeon General (US); Center for Mental Health Services (US); National Institute of Mental Health (US). (2001). Mental Health: Culture, Race, and Ethnicity: A Supplement to Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville (MD) Retrieved from; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44249/ Lauber, Christoph. Rossler, Wulf. (2007). Stigma towards People with Mental Illness in developing Countries in Asia. Vol.19 (2). Retrieved from; http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09540260701278903 Stevens, M. J., & Gielen, U. P. (2007). Toward a global psychology: Theory, research, intervention, and pedagogy. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Nippoda, Y. (2002). Japanese culture and therapeutic relationship. Retrieved June 22, 2009, from http://www.wwu.edu/culture/Nippoda1.htm Tango and analysis [Video file]. (n.d.). Video posted to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rRNczyT0OI&feature=related Argentina in therapy - Trailer film [Video file]. (n.d.). Video posted to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqprzvx4pbY