Individual differences and developmental in clinical psychology

How can cultural effects lead to individual differences in mental health dirsoders?

Disorders are defined in the DSM which is developed in America by the American Psychiatric Association. So, definitions, diagnostic criteria and described experiences of a disorder are based on a western, individualistic and capitalistic view of what is deemed ‘normal’. This can lead to questions about the generalisability of the western view of disorders to the experiences of those with mental health disorders from other cultures. Additionally, there could be mental health disorders that are only found in specific cultures.

What is a disorder found outside of western society?

Amok, a syndrome first reported in Malay people. Running amok is described as an involuntary behaviour caused by the ‘hantu belain’, an evil tiger spirit, entering a persons body or compelling them to act violently without conscious awareness. It is more common in males, consisting of a period of brooding followed by a sudden outburst of indiscriminate murderous frenzy, sometimes provoked by an insult, jealousy or. sense of desperation. The person experiencing this may commit murder-suicide.

Strength of the idea that cultural effects can lead to individual differences?

Luhrmann et al (2015)

Found evidence for the role of culture in the development of SZ. Found that in a California sample, people were more likely to describe their auditory hallucinations as intrusive, unreal thoughts. In a South Indian sample, they were more likely to describe them as providing useful guidance and in an African sample they were more likely to describe them as morally good and casually powerful. Therefore, this suggests that the intensity and distress patients feel about SZ may be dependent on their culture.

Weakness of the idea that cultural effects can lead to individual differences?

Lin (1996)

Found that when looking at the symptoms of SZ, there were more similarities across different cultures than differences, suggesting cultural differences would not lead to individual differences in the patients experiences with SZ

How can cultural effects lead to different diagnoses of mental health disorders, affecting reliability and validity?

Different cultures have different attitudes to mental disorders so this can affect how mental disorders are diagnosed. Individual differences in the cultural background, experience and training of clinicians can affect their interpretation of symptoms due to misinterpretation or perhaps not even recognising symptoms at all.

With different cultures between a clinician and a patient, there may also be issues with translation if they speak a different language.

What does Evard (2014) suggest about how cultural effects lead to different diagnoses of mental health disorders?

Suggests that hearing voices can be because of a mental disorder (typically in western culture). So, a clinician trained on western norms is more likely to diagnose individuals who report hearing voices as having a mental health disorder.

Strength of suggesting that cultural effects lead to different diagnoses of mental health disorders?

Garland et al (1970)

Demonstrated that psychiatrists in New York were more likely to diagnose patients with SZ rather than affective disorders (eg- Depression) compared to psychiatrists in London. This is likely to affect the reliability of diagnosis as it implies that different clinicians trained in different cultural settings will give different diagnoses.

Weakness of suggesting that cultural effects lead to different diagnoses of mental health disorders?

Lin (1966)

Found that when looking at symptoms of SZ, there were more similarities across cultures than differences suggesting that cultural differences would not lead to a difference in diagnosis. Therefore suggesting that diagnosis across cultures would be reliable.

Issues around genes and mental health can affect development. How would you explain this?

• The genetic explanation of SZ

• The neurotransmitter explanation of SZ

Strength of suggesting that SZ may be affected by developmental factors?

Susser and Lin (1992) report that women who became pregnant during the Dutch famine of 1944 went on to have low birth weight babies. Once grown up, these individuals were twice as likely to develop SZ compared to the normal distribution in the population.

Explain epigenetics (in reference to developmental psychology)

Genes may be changed by their environment. If a factor in the individuals life significantly impacts them (eg- a stressor) then it may change the way a DNA sequence is read

Strength for showing that development can be affected by genes?

Mill (2006)

Scanned the genome of MZ twins where one twin had SZ and the other did not, finding that diagnosed twins had up to 20% greater ‘methylation’ of 2 genes linked with SZ (genes associated with the COMT gene). Therefore suggesting that genes may influence how an individual develops SZ.

Strength for showing that development can be affected by genes?

Counter argument for this strength?

Studies have not found a 100% concordance date between genes and a mental health disorder. Joseph (2003) only found a concordance rate of 22.4% for Mz twins, suggesting other factors may play an important role in the development of mental health disorders.