The Synergistic Influence of Life Experiences and Cultural Nuances on Development of Depression: A Cognitive Behavioral Perspective.

The synergistic influences of everyday life experiences, societal expectations, and cultural nuances affect a person's ability to successfully manage their life and remain mentally healthy. Persons from culturally and ethnically diverse populations may incur depression when societal expectations and cultural influences are in conflict with each other. Chronic stress, often-referred to as toxic stress, contributes to the development of depression as it is unrelenting, beginning in childhood and continuing into adulthood.

How culture is assessed in the DSM-5.

Reports regarding the proposed changes in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) indicate there will be expanded and more clearly defined mental health assessment information regarding culture and diversity. This change is in response to the concerns of educators, practitioners, and researchers regarding how culture was prioritized, defined, and assessed within the fourth edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) of the manual. The purposes of this article are to discuss (a) how culture was assessed in the DSM-IV-TR; (b) what new assessment cultural factors are proposed for inclusion in the DSM-5; and (c) implications for psychiatric-mental health nursing education, practice, and research based on the inclusion of the proposed cultural assessment changes.

Two sides of the coin: the bully and the bullied.

Bullying has become a worldwide phenomenon that produces serious individual and societal consequences when it is ignored. There are two sides of the coin that require consideration when psychiatric-mental health (PMH) nurses conduct assessments of situations that involve bullying behaviors. Both the bully and the bullied can incur serious, negative, and debilitating psychological effects.

Cultural aspects of bipolar disorder: Interpersonal meaning for clients & psychiatric nurses.

Bipolar disorder is a complicated mental illness to diagnose and treat. The symptoms of the disorder cause a multitude of fluctuations in mood and behavior, affecting the way individuals function and interact with others on a daily basis. Individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder experience symptoms within a framework that is grounded in their cultural beliefs, values, and norms.

The cultural expression of death and dying.

Death and dying are universal experiences for people from all cultural groups. This collective experience is intertwined with issues involving mind, body, and spirit in the context of each person's unique culture. Case managers can be instrumental in teaching other members of the health care team regarding the cultural issues involved in the dying process of terminally ill clients.