Cross-cultural psychology - definitions + models

Worldview (described by Sue, what is it, 2 dimensions)

-affects how we perceive/appraise situations, and determine appropriate actions (based on our appraisal)

-comprised of locus of control + locus of responsibility

-affected by culture (e.g., mainstream America = internal LOC + internal LOR)

What internal/external LOC and internal/external LOR sounds like:

IC-IR: I’m in control of what happens and am responsible for outcome

(next three are characteristic of some minority cultures)

IC-ER: I'm capable of achieving my goals, but systemic barriers/luck/other ppl get in the way/are why I’m not able to succeed.

EC-ER: I have no control over what happens, and am not responsible

EC-IR: I have no control over what happens, but I’m at fault/responsible for failures

Pts with what LOC/LOR worldview are likely to be challenging for white therapists with IC/IR?

Internal LOC + External LOR (attribution of responsibility to external factors)

-pt likely to view white therapist/therapy as source of oppression

-may be reluctant to self-disclosure

-pt wants to take active role in therapy + seek action/accountability from the therapist

Berry’s four types of Acculturation strategies

1.) Integration – integrate both cultures

2.) Assimilation – majority culture only

3.) Separation – (separate self from majority) minority only

4.) Marginalization – reject both cultures

Most acculturative stress is linked to which acculturative strategy? (and least acculturative stress?)

-Ppl who adopt marginalization strategy experience most acculturative stress

-Ppl who adopt integration <=> least acculturative stress

Cultural distance + cultural fit (what are they, how do they affect acculturation process?)

cultural distance – difference btwn home vs. host culture (e.g., language, core values, government, legal system)

• large cultural distance ←→ increased acculturative stress + difficulty adapting to host country

cultural fit – similarity btwn individual’s personality/characteristics + host cultural values/norms

• good cultural fit makes adaptation to host country easier

Integration paradox

(being structurally integrated ←→ more discrimination)

-structurally integrated immigrants (successful careers, degrees) report experiencing more discrimination/disrespect

-and consequently, less likely to have positive attitudes towards mainstream society

Possible explanations for integration paradox

-greater access to mainstream society (school/work) → more likely to encounter discrimination

-higher education → more sophisticated cognitive abilities (more aware)

Immigration paradox

-different/unrelated to integration paradox

-recent immigrants having better health/education than more established immigrants and nonimmigrants

Healthy cultural paranoia vs. functional paranoia

Healthy cultural paranoia – suspicion/distrust that’s a normal reaction to prejudice/discrimination

• willing to disclose to minority therapist

• but not white therapist, unless meaning of cultural paranoia is discussed + therapist encourages distinguishing what’s safe/not safe to disclose

Functional paranoia – pervasive “unhealthy” suspicion/distrust

• unwilling to disclose with any therapist

Sue’s three types of microaggressions

1.) microassault – “old-fashioned” racism; explicit, usually intentional/meant to hurt

• e.g., name-calling, discrimination

2.) microinsult – demeaning messages

• pathologizing the culture, ascription of intelligence, assumption of dangerousness

• e.g., implying POC was hired d/t affirmative action

3.) microinvalidation – dismissal/erasure/negation of lived reality (T/F/experiential reality)

• e.g., assuming Asian student wasn’t born in US, complimenting good English

• e.g., color-blindedness, myth of meritocracy

Colorism (aka color consciousness)

0a form of internalized racism; discrimination within a R/E minority group based on skin color, hair texture, eye color

Emic vs. etic perspective in psychologists

Emic – (inside out) belief that bx is affected by culture; psychological theory/tx may not generalize to other cultures

Etic – (tsk tsk) universality of behavior; same theories/txs can be applied

Autoplastic vs. Alloplastic Interventions

Autoplastic interventions – (think automatic) focus on changing pt, in order to adapt to environment

• e.g., psychoanalysis/gaining insight into self, CBT/changing bx

Alloplastic – focus on changing environment to fit pt needs

• e.g., aspects of neurodiversity-affirming tx, change jobs

Cultural encapsulation

-coined by Wrenn to explain some provider’s inability to work effectively with other cultures

-insensitive to cultural differences, and believe own assumptions about MH apply to all cultural backgrounds

Tight vs. Loose Cultures

Tight = strong social norms, low tolerance for deviant bxs

• related to historical challenges (e.g., natural disaster/disease, resource scarcity) → strong norms/punishment for deviance helps ensure survival

• risk avoidance, preference for stability

• higher Conscientiousness, lower Openness to experience

Loose = weaker social norms, higher tolerance for deviance

• greater risk-taking and innovative bx

• greater openness to change

Gelfand et al. ranking of tight vs. loose countries and US states

-tightest countries: Pakistan, Malaysia, India

-loosest: Estonia, Hungary, Israel

-tightest US: AL, Arkansas, Mississippi

-loosest: CA, WA, Oregon

High- vs. Low-Context Communication

High-context communication – relies on context, nonverbals, group understanding

• e.g., African Americans tend towards high-context, may lead to microinsults about intelligence, articulateness

• some cultural minority groups

Low-context communication – relies on verbals, independent of context

• white/mainstream America

-differences can create problems in therapy

Diagnostic Overshadowing

(1 dx explains ALL the problems)

-initially applied to pts with intellectual disability dx

-tendency for MH providers to attribute all problems to ID dx, overlooking other problems

-expanded to gay pts––assuming problems are d/t sexual orientation

Own-race bias (aka other-race/cross-race effect)

-facial recognition/memory is better for own race, than other races

-prevalent across all racial groups; but more prevalent in white than Black people

-common explanation = greater exposure to own-race people

-evidence for own-age and own-gender bias too!

Implications of own-race bias for eyewitness testimony

-Cross-race identifications lead to more misidentification, than own-race identifications

Meyer’s Minority Stress Theory (originally applied to, describes what)

-explains increased MH risk among sexual-minorities, d/t chronic stressors from stigmatization

-proximal and distal processes for minority stress

Proximal vs. distal processes for minority stress

Proximal – occurs within the person

• e.g., internalized heterosexism, concealing, fear of rejection

Distal – occurs external of person

• e.g., harassment, discrimination

Therapist credibility d/t ascribed and achieved status (what do bolded terms mean)

Important when working with Asian/non-Western pts

Credibility = pt perception of therapist as trustworthy; determined by

-Ascribed status = involuntary ascriptions of therapist status/credibility based on pt’s culture

• e.g., older male therapist = automatic ascribed status of credibility

-Achieved status = therapist expertise/experience

• e.g., yrs of experience working with a cultural group

Gift-giving (what is it, why is it important with Asian/non-Western pts)

-needs to happen ASAP to establish achieved credibility + reduce premature termination

-Gift-giving = pt perception of direct benefits (e.g., sense of hope, reassurance, normalizing of feelings, concrete skill) from therapy

-demonstrates credibility and that therapy can alleviate problems

Culturally adapted interventions benefit tx outcomes…

-BUT this is more apparent in adults vs. children

-adaptations are more effective when adding features vs. replacing a tx component

Fidelity-adaptation dilemma of culturally-adapted interventions

-to what degree to adopt nomothetic/scientific approach (which demands fidelity in implementation) vs. idiographic/individual/casewise approach (which demands sensitivity/responsiveness to individual)

Indigenous/American Indian – Collateral social system & network therapy

collateral social system – incorporating family, community, tribe

Network therapy – empowers pts to cope with life stresses by mobilizing network to provide support and encouragement

-direct eye contact = disrespect

-firm handshake = aggression

Latin American: formalismo in initial session, personalismo in subsequent sessions

personalismo = more personal style

cuento therapy – using folktales for adaptive bx

dichos – using proverbs/idioms to help express feeling

Psychotherapy outcomes for older adults

-Are comparable with younger adults!

-but may respond more slowly to therapy, than YA

-therapy adaptations: modify therapy pace; accommodate sensory limitations; give attention to illness, grief, cognitive decline, stressful practical problems

Reminiscence therapy – uses past memories to enhance emotional and cognitive well-being

→ beneficial effects on cognition, depression, and QOL of older patients with Alzheimer’s