Title: The Importance of Cultural Competence in Mental Health Care | elephant journal
Headings: The Importance of Cultural Competence in Mental Health Care
The Importance of Cultural Competence in Mental Health Care
How Culture Impacts Attitudes Toward Mental Health
Cultural Competence in Mental Health Care
Benefits of a Culturally Competent Provider
How to Find a Culturally Competent Mental Health Professional
Jodi Jaspan | Contribution: 130

Content: How Culture Impacts Attitudes Toward Mental Health
Culture is a beautiful aspect of our lives, but it can also negatively impact our attitudes toward mental health. Mental illness is still stigmatized in many cultures. People may be reluctant to even talk about mental health, let alone seek treatment. For example, one study found that participants from the African American community were “not very open to acknowledging psychological problems,” and they were also reluctant to seek professional help. A culture may even contribute to mental disorders. For example, eating disorders are more common in western countries than eastern ones, likely due to western ideals of thinness and beauty. Some cultures may not even acknowledge mental illness, instead attributing symptoms to religious or spiritual causes. Beliefs like this present a barrier to accessing care, since individuals may be more comfortable seeking help from a spiritual leader than a mental health professional. Despite the ways culture can stigmatize mental illness and make it harder to access treatment, it’s still necessary to address mental health in the context of culture. Culture is so intertwined with identity that mental health professionals cannot ignore this aspect of an individual’s life.