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Assess how far culture can lead to individual differences in mental health disorders. - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 5 - 2019 - Paper 2
Question 5
Assess how far culture can lead to individual differences in mental health disorders.
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Assess how far culture can lead to individual differences in mental health disorders. - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 5 - 2019 - Paper 2
Step 1
Different Attitudes Toward Mental Disorders
Answer
Different cultures hold varying attitudes towards mental disorders, which can significantly influence how these disorders are identified and diagnosed. For instance, certain cultures may view mental illness as a spiritual issue, while others see it as a medical concern. This can affect the prevalence rates and perceptions of individuals suffering from these conditions.
Step 2
Culturally Specific Mental Disorders
Answer
Certain cultures have mental disorders that are unique to them, such as amok in Malaysia, which involves a sudden outburst of aggression. Such culturally bound syndromes highlight how individual differences in mental health can arise based on cultural context.
Step 3
Cultural Understanding in Diagnosis
Answer
Western cultures often emphasize the mind and body as separate entities, which may not hold true across all cultures. This difference can lead to misdiagnosis if culturally specific symptoms are misunderstood by professionals who may not share the same cultural background.
Step 4
Language Barriers and Miscommunication
Answer
There can also be significant issues related to language. If a psychiatrist and a patient do not share the same language, critical nuances in symptoms may be lost in translation, leading to issues in accurately diagnosing and treating mental disorders.
Step 5
Hearing Voices: Cultural Interpretation
Answer
Research by Luhrmann et al. (2015) found that in America, hearing voices is typically treated as a sign of mental illness, while in some cultures, like parts of India, it can be viewed positively. This cultural interpretation significantly influences individual experiences and coping mechanisms.
Step 6
Social Deprivation and Mental Health
Answer
Lin (1996) highlighted that social factors can create individual differences in mental health. For instance, individuals from socially deprived backgrounds, as studied in São Paulo by Anderson et al. (2012), demonstrated varying symptoms and coping strategies, which may differ from those in more stable environments.
Step 7
Over-Compensation by Psychiatrists
Answer
Psychiatrists may sometimes over-compensate for cultural differences in diagnosis. If a psychiatrist is unaware of the particular cultural context, they may misdiagnose or fail to understand certain disorders that are seen as normal in specific cultures.
Step 8