Cross-cultural conceptions of mental illness

Previous published papers by the author addressed the issue of the epidemiology of mental illness across different cultures. This paper departs from this basis and stresses the need for examining mental illness within the context of any given culture. Thus, the application of rigorous criteria, such as those specified by DSM III or ICD-9, to all cultures, regardless of how different behaviors are viewed within the culture is deemed to be specious. Moreover, the treatment of mental illness has been shown to be related to the perception of mental illness within any given culture and is clearly affected by social norms. Mental health professionals from over 20 countries were administered a questionnaire querying whether hypothetical cases would be diagnosed as mentally ill and if so what would be their diagnosis. Differences between professionals were discussed in light of cross-cultural variations. Suggestions for future research are offered.