Culture and Trauma-Related Disorders

Abstract

This chapter examines the role of culture in trauma-related experience. Although it focuses primarily on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it proposes a model and analytic approach that will apply to other trauma-related disorders. Culture is defined here in a broad sense. However, there is considerable variation within a group, and the given examples of cultural factors prioritize intercultural variation over intracultural variation. The rest of the chapter examines PTSD from a cross-cultural perspective. A general model of culture and trauma-related disorder that is applicable to all trauma-related disorders is presented. Then the cultural influence on the rates of PTSD and on the meaning and salience of particular PTSD symptoms are reviewed, followed by a discussion of the content validity of the diagnostic category of PTSD in assessing trauma-related disorder across cultures. The chapter concludes with reflections on the clinical utility of the PTSD construct when viewed in cultural context.