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Submit a 2-page paper that addresses the following: Explain how a diagnostic summary differs from a biopsychosocial assessment. What is the relationship between WHO, ICD, and the DSM 5-TR? Define culture, race, and ethnicity. Explain why it is important to consider culture when diagnosing. What is the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI)? How can it be used when interviewing clients? Explain why it is important to consider cultural concepts of distress. You may draw upon professional or field experience for this response. References to specific chapters and pages from Sommers-Flanagan & Sommers-Flanagan (2015a, 2015b) are included for context.
Paper For Above instruction
A comprehensive understanding of mental health assessment processes involves distinguishing between diagnostic summaries and biopsychosocial assessments, understanding the relationship among major diagnostic classification systems, recognizing cultural influences on mental health, and employing culturally sensitive tools like the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI).
Differences between a diagnostic summary and a biopsychosocial assessment: A diagnostic summary is a succinct report that identifies and condenses the primary mental health disorder(s) based on specific diagnostic criteria. It primarily focuses on classification and prognosis, often adhering to standardized diagnostic systems such as the DSM or ICD. Conversely, a biopsychosocial assessment is a comprehensive, multidimensional evaluation that considers biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors affecting an individual's mental health. It explores aspects like family history, social support networks, cultural background, and life circumstances, offering a holistic understanding that informs individualized treatment planning (Sommers-Flanagan & Sommers-Flanagan, 2015a).
Relationship between WHO, ICD, and DSM 5-TR: The World Health Organization (WHO) is responsible for the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), which provides global standards for health diagnoses, including mental disorders. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR), published by the American Psychiatric Association, is primarily used within the United States and offers detailed criteria for mental disorder diagnoses. While both systems aim to categorize and diagnose health conditions, the ICD has a broader focus encompassing physical health, and the DSM offers a more detailed psychiatric perspective. The DSM-5-TR and ICD are aligned to some extent, but differences exist in classification criteria and usage contexts (World Health Organization, 2019; American Psychiatric Association, 2022).
Definitions of culture, race, and ethnicity: Culture encompasses the shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that characterize a group or society. Race refers to social classifications based largely on physical characteristics such as skin color, which are often used socially rather than biologically. Ethnicity involves shared cultural traits, language, ancestry, and national origin that group individuals within broader social contexts (Stern, 2017). These concepts influence individuals' worldview, expression of distress, help-seeking behaviors, and responses to treatment.
Importance of considering culture in diagnosis: Cultural factors significantly shape how individuals perceive and communicate symptoms of distress, illness, or disorder. Ignoring cultural context may lead to misdiagnosis, underdiagnosis, or culturally insensitive treatment plans. The Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) was developed to systematically assess cultural influences on clinical presentation, helping clinicians gather culturally relevant information (American Psychiatric Association, 2014). Incorporating cultural understanding enhances diagnostic accuracy, fosters therapeutic rapport, and promotes culturally responsive care.
The Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI): The CFI is a structured interview tool embedded within the DSM-5, designed to explore cultural identity, cultural explanations of distress, cultural factors affecting self-coping and support, and cultural elements of the clinician-patient relationship. Its use during client interviews aids in understanding how cultural beliefs influence symptom expression and health-seeking behavior. For example, some cultures may somaticize psychological distress, which could be misunderstood if cultural factors are not considered (Lewis-Fernández & Aggarwal, 2019). Employing the CFI ensures a more nuanced and culturally sensitive diagnostic process.
Considering cultural concepts of distress: Cultural concepts of distress refer to the ways in which different cultures experience, understand, and communicate emotional suffering or mental health issues. Recognizing these concepts prevents misinterpretation of symptoms, reduces diagnostic bias, and supports culturally appropriate interventions. For instance, some cultures interpret depression primarily through somatic symptoms, which might appear as physical complaints rather than emotional ones. A clinician aware of these cultural concepts can modify assessment strategies and treatment approaches accordingly, leading to better engagement and outcomes. Drawing on field experience and professional practice, clinicians who incorporate cultural concepts of distress foster trust and validate the patient's worldview, essential for effective mental health care (Kleinman, 1988).
References
- American Psychiatric Association. (2014). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., DSM-5). American Psychiatric Association.
- American Psychiatric Association. (2022). DSM-5-TR: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Text Revision. American Psychiatric Publishing.
- World Health Organization. (2019). ICD-11: International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision. WHO.
- Kleinman, A. (1988). Rethinking psychiatry: From cultural category to personal experience. The Free Press.
- Lewis-Fernández, R., & Aggarwal, N. K. (2019). Culture and mental health: A comprehensive overview. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 80(2), 18-25.
- Stern, S. (2017). Race, ethnicity, and health: A public health perspective. Public Health Reports, 132(4), 400-408.
- Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Sommers-Flanagan, R. (2015a). Intake interviewing and report writing. Wiley.
- Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Sommers-Flanagan, R. (2015b). The mental status examination. In Clinical interviewing (5th ed., pp. 287–326). Wiley.