Does DSM-III-R diagnose depression in non-Western patients?

The author reports the cases of three non-Western patients with impaired functioning due to symptoms of major depression. Their characteristic style of symptom expression was different from the usual manifestations, emphasizing vegetative rather than cognitive and affective aspects of depression. Non-Western patients may be either misdiagnosed or overdiagnosed, which may complicate their assessment and treatment, because the diagnostic criteria used reflect Western values of behaviour. To improve the treatment of non-Western patients who seek therapy for depressive symptomatology in Western countries, therapists should seek broader understanding and deeper appreciation of non-Western belief systems and cultural differences.