Not only is context important in determining whether an individual’s behavior meets the criteria for a mental disorder, but culture and family background can also be important factors. Some behaviors would clearly be “abnormal” in any culture or family, while other behaviors are not so clearly defined.
Using your textbook and the Argosy University online library resources, research the role of cultural norms in identifying mental disorders. Based on your research, respond to the following:
- Why is culture an important consideration in the interview, assessment, and diagnostic process?
- How might your own cultural, ethnic, or family values, rules, or traditions be misinterpreted as “abnormal” by someone from a dissimilar background? Give examples in your answer.
