Differences between mental disorders of French Canadians and British Canadians.

Abstract

A series of studies over the past decade has shown that Canadians of British origin differ from Canadians of French origin with respect to the symptomatology, frequency, course and probably the treatability of mental disorder. French Canadian schizophrenics exhibit more concern with real or imaginary disturbances of social relationships, whereas British Canadian schizophrenics and alcoholics alike exhibit a greater disregard for such relationships and for the support that goes with them. French Canadian depressives have a greater tendency towards psychomotor retardation and somatic concerns, whereas British Canadian depressives show a greater concern with guilt feelings, obsessiveness, and greater signs of thought disorder. First hospitalizations are proportionately more frequent among British Canadians than among French Canadians in the white-collar strata, but the reverse is true in the blue-collar. The British Canadians have the higher incidence of organic disorders, but the French Canadians of the functional ones. When patients are sent to mental hospital the British Canadians tend to achieve earlier discharge than the French Canadians, but when treatment is given in an outpatient clinic there is some evidence that the French Canadians show the better recovery rate. Connections are suggested between these findings and more general differences between the two cultures and it is suggested that clinicians may be able to put such knowledge to practical use. In particular, it is suggested that attention to maintaining social ties is more important for the French Canadian patient than for the British Canadian who conversely requires more attention to be paid to his intra-psychic ties.