Culture and Psychiatric Diagnosis: A DSM-IV Perspective

Culture and Psychiatric Diagnosis: A DSM-IV Perspective developed from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and American Psychiatric Association's conference on culture and psychiatric diagnosis, which was organized to enhance the cultural validity of DSM-IV. The book features the collaboration of cultural experts, members of the NIMH Culture and Diagnosis Group, nosologists, and members of the DSM-IV Task Force and Work Groups.
If clinicians are to become culturally sensitive, they must understand the criteria that define a disorder and consider the cultural framework of the person being examined. Only then can they ascertain whether the criteria are applicable in the present context of the patient and make the adjustments that are appropriate. Culture and Psychiatric Diagnosis: A DSM-IV Perspective will benefit all clinicians who treat culturally diverse patients because it documents and clarifies how cultural factors influence the emergence, manifestations, assessment, and course of mental disorders and response to treatment.