Anthropology 2290F/G Lecture : Transcultural Psychiatry.docx

• School: Western University
• Department: Anthropology
• Course: Anthropology 2290F/G
• Professor: Gerald Mc Kinley

Document Summary

Transcultural psychiatry can be defined as being concerned with the social and cultural determinants of psychopathology and psychosocial treatments of the range of mental and behavioural problems in individuals, families and human groups. In addition to the clinical research methods of psychiatry, it draws from the disciplines of psychiatric epidemiology, medical anthropology and cross-cultural psychology . One of the leaders in this field is the psychiatrist lawrence kirmayer, md, from mcgill university. Kirmayer"s research has included important work with inuit in northern canada. Here are some of the main points he gave at a talk: Biomedicine says phenomenology reflects underlying pathobiology and this can be completely characterized in neurophysiological terms and treatment of underlying neurobiology will provide definitive intervention. Social science says phenomenology reflects cultural contexts, knowledge, and practices and pathology is a consequence of meaning and interpretation and changes in social response will have fundamental effects on distress.