Background:

Cultural psychiatry evaluates manifestations, symptoms of emotional distress and mental disorders in diverse cultural contexts; it also addresses social problems such as poverty, violence, inequalities between groups or social classes.

Objective:

To present a narrative review of the most relevant cultural aspects in the context of clinical practice in psychiatry and to suggest some alternatives to improve the cultural competence of health care professionals.

Method:

A narrative review was carried out of the most relevant articles in the area. Results: Usually, the cultural argument is used to explain differences in observed prevalences in some mental disorders according to gender and geographical location. Cultural differences modify the expression of emotional distress and this can reduce the accuracy and affect the reliability and validity of the current diagnostic classification used in psychiatry. The American Psychiatric Association, in the most recent classification, revised cultural syndromes but only included a limited number of situations. Consequently, medical education and psychiatry must respond to diverse populations and provide quality care through the development of trans-cultural competence in the curriculum.

Conclusions:

It should be considered that cultural differences modify the expression of distress and thereby undermine the validity and reliability for diagnoses in distinct cultural contexts. In an increasingly globalised world, future classifications may completely omit 'cultural syndromes'.

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