Issues with diagnosis of schizophrenia and cultural differences in hearing voices

What can make identifying disordered thinking difficult?

If the client is from a different cultural background from the psychiatrist

What could appear as disordered thinking?

Rastafarians often use neologisms, e.g. overstand instead of understand

For an accurate diagnosis, what should the psychiatrist be aware of?

Cultural differences

What diagnosis can catatonic behaviour symptoms be confused with?

Major depressive disorder or bipolar

What other diagnoses can people with hallucinations be given?

PTSD, depression, drug withdrawal or even stress and lack of sleep

Why is diagnosing sz not easy?

Because it shares symptoms with various other disorders

What did Luhrmann et al do?

Interview 60 American, Indian and Ghanaian people with schizophrenia

What percentage of Americans did Luhrmann find that reported their voices told them to hurt people?

70%

How many Ghanaians said their voices were positive?

50%

What did Indian people tend to hear?

Family members offering guidance

What percentage of Americans said their voices belonged to family members?

10%

What do Tanya Luhrmann's findings suggest?

Individual differences such as cultural backgrounds can affect symptoms

What did Lin 1996 find?

Schizophrenia is found in all cultures and its symptoms and prevalence rates are similar

What do Lin's findings suggest?

There are more similarities than differences so perhaps schizophrenia is universal and not culturally bound