scholarly journals Culture and psychological distress

2002 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 5-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
William W. Dressler ◽  
Mauro Campos Balieiro ◽  
José Ernesto dos Santos
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Urban Area ◽  
Cultural Models ◽  
Cultural Factors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cultural Model ◽  
Multivariate Models ◽  
Cultural Consonance ◽  
Confounding Variables ◽  
Psychological Influences

Examining the influence of cultural factors on psychological distress, relative to other (e.g. social and psychological) influences, has been difficult due to the incomplete development of a theory of culture that leads to the reliable and valid measurement of cultural factors in such a way that these can be incorporated into multivariate models. In this paper we present both such a theory and such a methodology, and apply it to the study of the community distribution of psychological distress in an urban area in Brazil. In this theory and method, culture is conceptualized as consisting of shared cultural models that are imperfectly realized in mundane behaviors. The link of cultural model and individual behavior is referred to as "cultural consonance". Here we show that cultural consonance in two different domains is associated with psychological stress, independently from covariates and possible confounding variables. Implications of the results for future research are also discussed.

Internalized Cultural Models, Congruity With Cultural Standards, and Mental Health

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (8) ◽  
pp. 1302-1319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kateryna Maltseva
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
New England ◽  
Cultural Models ◽  
Cultural Model ◽  
Cultural Consonance ◽  
Local Variant ◽  
Cultural Standards ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Relationship

Using the cultural consonance theory and the assumptions embedded in the culture consensus model, the present article addresses the associations between consensually understood and collectively shared cultural models and individual mental health. The study specifically explored the role of internalization. A structured survey was developed to extract the local variant of the American cultural model of a “good, worthy life.” The data collected in New England in fall 2012 ( N = 306) contained measures of the individual familiarity with the cultural model, the degree of internalization of its elements, the extent to which each informant’s lifestyle matched the model in their daily life, and measures of positive and negative mental health. The results confirm that the degree of cultural competence and internalization of cultural ideas affect inter-informant variation in both negative and positive mental health, but the relationship is a complex one.

scholarly journals Cultural Consonance, Religion and Psychological Distress in an Urban Community

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (55) ◽  
pp. 151-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
William W. Dressler ◽  
H. J. Francois Dengah II ◽  
Mauro Campos Balieiro ◽  
Jose Ernesto dos Santos
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Cultural Models ◽  
Substantial Variation ◽  
Mixed Methods Design ◽  
Religion And Health ◽  
Buffering Effect ◽  
Cultural Consonance ◽  
Protestant Churches

Cultural consonance is the degree to which individuals approximate prototypes encoded in cultural models. Low cultural consonance is associated with higher psychological distress. Religion may moderate the association between cultural consonance and psychological distress. Brazil, with substantial variation in religion, is an important society for the examination of this hypothesis. Research was conducted in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, using a mixed-methods design. Measures of cultural consonance were derived using ethnographic methods and then applied in a survey of 271 individuals drawn from four distinct social strata. Low cultural consonance was associated with higher psychological distress in multiple regression analysis ( B = -.430, p < .001). Members of Pentecostal Protestant churches reported lower psychological distress independently of the effect of cultural consonance ( B = -.409, p < .05). There was no buffering effect of religion. Implications of these results for the study of religion and health are discussed.

scholarly journals Is there an association between diet and depression in children and adolescents? A systematic review

2016 ◽  
Vol 116 (12) ◽  
pp. 2097-2108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sundus Khalid ◽  
Claire M. Williams ◽  
Shirley A. Reynolds
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Dietary Intake ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Confounding Variables ◽  
Quality Diet ◽  
Unhealthy Diet

AbstractThis review critically evaluates previous studies investigating the association between dietary intake of children and young people and depression and related mental health problems. A systematic literature search was conducted using electronic databases such as PsycINFO, MEDLINE, PubMed and Cochrane. A total of twenty studies were identified that met inclusion criteria and were subsequently rated for quality. The studies used a range of methods to measure dietary intake and mental health. Important potential confounding variables (e.g. socio-economic status) were often not included or controlled. There were also inconsistencies in the use of key constructs, which made comparisons between studies difficult. Despite some contradictory results, overall there was support for an association between healthy dietary patterns or consumption of a high-quality diet and lower levels of depression or better mental health. Similarly, there was a relationship between unhealthy diet and consumption of low-quality diet and depression or poor mental health. However, where significant relationships were reported, effect sizes were small. Future research on the relationship between diet and mental health in young people should use more clearly defined constructs to define diet and include or control for important confounders.

Gender Differences in Grief Reactions following the Death of a Parent

2006 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 323-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Lawrence ◽  
Elizabeth L. Jeglic ◽  
Laura T. Matthews ◽  
Carolyn M. Pepper
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Clinical Importance ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Death Of A Parent ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Grief Reactions

This study examined gender differences in psychological functioning in a sample of college students who lost a parent to death. Male and female students ( n = 65) who had a parent that had died were asked to complete a series of self report questionnaires to assess psychological distress, feelings of grief and bereavement, and coping strategies. Overall, no gender differences were found between bereaved students on measures of psychological distress. However an avoidant coping style was related to symptoms of depression in females, but not in males. Students who lost a mother were more likely to report symptoms of depression, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation as compared to students who lost a father. Future research implications and the clinical importance of these findings are discussed.

Caregiving in quarantine: Humor styles, reframing, and psychological well-being among parents of children with disabilities

2021 ◽  
pp. 026540752110435
Author(s):  
Heidi L. Fritz
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Children With Disabilities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Family Satisfaction ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Humor Styles ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Over Time

Prior research links adaptive humor styles (affiliative and self-enhancing) with enhanced psychological well-being and maladaptive humor styles (aggressive and self-defeating) with worse psychological well-being, primarily through humor styles’ influence on individuals’ social interactions and efforts to positively reframe stressors. The present study examined the unique relation of each humor style with psychological well-being with a focus on understanding mechanisms of adjustment under highly stressful conditions. Ninety-nine parents of children with disabilities were surveyed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States in March 2020, and 79 parents completed follow-up surveys in July 2020. As predicted, at T1, self-enhancing humor was associated with less psychological distress and greater family satisfaction, self-defeating humor was associated with greater distress, and aggressive humor was associated with lower family satisfaction. Moreover, affiliative humor predicted decreased psychological distress over time, whereas self-defeating humor predicted increased psychological distress and decreased family satisfaction over time. Relations were largely mediated by caregiver positive reappraisal, family efforts to reframe daily disability-related challenges, and negative social interactions. Future research should further examine the influence of caregiver humor styles on family dynamics, family reframing norms, and caregiving efficacy.

CROSS-CULTURAL PATTERNS IN EATING DISORDERS: A REVIEW

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
pp. A42-A42
Author(s):  
Jennifer E. Pate ◽  
Andres J. Pumariega ◽  
Colleen Hester ◽  
David M. Garner
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Cultural Factors ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cultural Patterns ◽  
Apparent Increase ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Cross Cultural Research ◽  
The World

Eating disorders were previously thought to be isolated to achievement-oriented, upper and middle class individuals in Western countries. It now appears that these disorders may be increasing in other sectors of society and in a number of diverse cultural settings. We review the studies that comprise the relevant cross-cultural research literature on eating disorders. We also discuss the changing cultural factors that may be contributing to the apparent increase in these disorders around the world and directions for future research on such factors.

Post-Bureaucratic Organizations as Complex Systems

2017 ◽  
pp. 152-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Maimone
Keyword(s):  
Complex Systems ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Cultural Factors ◽  
Ideal Type ◽  
Final Part ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Real ◽  
Real Nature ◽  
Practical Implications

The term “post-bureaucratic” defines such organizations characterized by the absence or the reduced role of traditional bureaucracy. This contribution is aimed to provide a theoretical framework to explain the real nature and the hidden dynamics of post-bureaucratic systems, adopting a complex (Stacey, 1996; Mitleton-Kelly, 2003), critical (Wilmott, 1992; Alvesson, Bridgman, & Willmott, 2009) and multi-paradigmatic perspective (Gioia & Pitre, 1990; Lowe, Magala, & Hwang, 2012; Patel, 2016), that considers also the influence of socio-psychological and socio-cultural factors. The findings of the research suggest it is opportune to go beyond the epistemological stance of the Weberian concept of ideal type, assuming that contemporary organizations may show hybrid (see Stark, 1992; Grandori, 1995) and multi-status configurations. The theoretical, methodological and practical implications of the adoption of this perspective are discussed in the final part of the chapter and are provided suggestions for present and future research.

A Model for Culturally Adaptive Policy Management in Ad Hoc Collaborative Contexts

2010 ◽  
pp. 174-190
Author(s):  
John Karat ◽  
Winston Sieck ◽  
Timothy J. Norman ◽  
Clare-Marie Karat ◽  
Carolyn Brodie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Cultural Models ◽  
Cultural Analysis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Policy Management ◽  
Collaborative Decision Making ◽  
Context Sensitive ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Research Frameworks ◽  
Collaborative Decision

In this chapter, the authors consider an approach to advancing the value of context-sensitive policy management technology for collaborative mission planning and execution through integration of algorithms based on cultural models and collaborative decision making. Three research teams collaborated to leverage their research frameworks and results in policy lifecycle management, cultural analysis, and decision support in this effort. The chapter describes the three technical areas, and the results of a theoretical analysis of the potential value of their integration in a new perspective, combined with a set of research questions that might be addressed in further inquiry in this new area. The theoretical work identifies opportunities for addressing challenging issues in policy, culture, and collaborative decision making. The authors conclude with a view of future research that might provide a breakthrough in this intersection of disciplines and lead to the creation of a culturally aware policy management system for collaborative activities.

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