Multicultural Factors and Diagnostic issues associated with schizophrenia

Multicultural Factors and Diagnostic issues associated with schizophrenia

Various cultures have different perceptions regarding a diagnosis of schizophrenia. To begin with, the occurrence of schizophrenia varies between different ethnicities and races. According to Comer et al. (n.d.), compared to non-Hispanic white Americans, the occurrence of schizophrenia is more common among African Americans. It is thought that African Americans are more prone to schizophrenia. According to Tirupati & Ramachandran (2020), the majority of African Americans are experiencing various social stressors such as poverty. Social discrimination and racism make them more prone to developing mental illnesses. It is also thought that the high occurrence of schizophrenia among the African Americans may be due to unintentional bias by the clinicians leading to them making a diagnosis of schizophrenia or misreading the cultural differences among the African Americans as the features of Schizophrenia (Comer et al., n.d.). However, in African countries, different cultures view schizophrenia differently. Some cultures perceive schizophrenia as an unacceptable disorder, given the community’s perception of them being branded as ‘mad people’. For this reason, relatives of the patient may have difficulties accepting the diagnosis and even offering support to their patient.

Conversely, diagnostic issues may arise when diagnosing schizophrenia. First, there are cultural practices that may be foreign to the clinicians, and the clinicians may end up misreading them as features of schizophrenia. Secondly, schizophrenia is not well accepted among different ethnicities. As a result, making a diagnosis of schizophrenia may result in the development of family stress and eventually family dysfunction. For instance, the relatives and caregivers of people diagnosed with schizophrenia may display conflict, criticism, hostility, and disapproval (Comer et al., n.d.). As a result, they may have issues with the nurse or clinician in accepting the diagnosis. Furthermore, a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia may not be able to recuperate in such a family.

References

Comer, R., Ogden, N., Boyes, M., & Gould, E. Psychology around us.

Tirupati, S., & Ramachandran, P. (2020). Schizophrenia, recovery, and the individual-cultural considerations. Australasian Psychiatry, 28(2), 190-192. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1039856219889320

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Your readings this week focus on one of the most fascinating categories of psychological disorders: schizophrenia.

Multicultural Factors and Diagnostic issues associated with schizophrenia

While straightforward in many ways, this diagnosis is markedly influenced by multicultural factors and plagued with diagnostic problems. In your post this week, using the readings as a platform but doing your own library research as needed, discuss some of the multicultural components relevant to this condition and some of the diagnostic issues also at play.