The United States will no longer have a Caucasian majority in the second half of the 21st century. Evidence shows that misdiagnosis of mental disorders occurs more frequently in minority populations. Thus, the domestic and international utility of DSM-IV and its companions will depend on their suitability for use with various cultures.
A key feature of this volume is the collaboration of cultural experts, members of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH ) Culture and Diagnosis Group, nosologists, and members of the DSM-IV Task Force and Work Groups. The NIMH and the American Psychiatric Association held a conference on Culture and Psychiatric Diagnosis to prepare for DSM-IV. Culture and Psychiatric Diagnosis developed from that meeting to enhance the cultural validity of DSM-IV.
If clinicians are to become culturally sensitive, they must understand the criteria that define a disorder and consider the cultural context of the person being examined. They can then ascertain whether the criteria are applicable in the present cultural context of the patient. Culture and Psychiatric Diagnosis will benefit all clinicians treating minority patients because it documents and clarifies how cultural factors influence psychopathology; the manifestations, assessment, and course of mental disorders, and the response to treatment.
