Handbook of Multicultural Mental Health

Clinicians and mental health practitioners are regularly called upon to treat patients of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Not only do these patients differ from Anglos in culture and language, but also in customs, beliefs, values, and practices. Understanding these differences is vital to performing an accurate diagnosis/assessment of psychopathology as well as in determining an effective treatment regimen.This book provides vital information to clinicians worldwide in bettering their treatment of diverse populations. Each chapter identifies relevant cultural variables specific to each racial/ethnic group, along with ethnocultural measures and their relevant psychometric properties. Part 1 presents introductory material on the definition of mental illness and pathological behavior in differing cultures, epidemiological data on the prevalence of different disorders between differing population groups, culture specific beliefs (e.g. hexes), and the influence of culture on treatment. Part 2 discusses assessment issues including how specific measures (Rorschach, MMPI, etc.) are best interpreted with different population groups, and the existence and use of ethnocultural specific measures. Part 3 discusses assessment and treatment of specific population groups (e.g., Indians, Asians, Latinos, etc.).