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Ethnographic Methods for Identifying Cultural Concepts of Distress

Developing Reliable and Valid Measures

Bibliographic Data

ID2407676
AuthorsJ G Snodgra (0000-0003-2725-8063, Colorado State University, corresponding author), Jeffrey G Snodgrass (Colorado State University), Alexandra Brewis (0000-0003-3769-4205, Arizona State University), H J Francois Dengah (0000-0003-3646-5160, Utah State University), W W Dressler (0000-0001-7892-2652, University of Alabama), Bonnie N Kaiser (0000-0003-0742-1302, University of California San Diego), B A Kohrt (0000-0002-3829-4820, George Washington University), E Mendenhall (0000-0002-5826-1321, Walsh University), Seth Sagstetter (Colorado State University), Seth I Sagstetter (Colorado State University), L J Weaver (0000-0001-8104-0511, University of Oregon), Katya Xinyi Zhao (Colorado State University)
Year2023
Volume35
Issue3
Pages175-197
Publication date2023-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCAM (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1087-8513 • E-ISSN: 1552-3969
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1525822x221113178
OpenAlexW4289842199
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited94

We review ethnographic methods that allow researchers to assess distress in a culturally sensitive manner. We begin with an overview of standardized biomedical and psychological approaches to assessing distress cross-culturally. We then focus on literature describing the development of reliable and valid culturally sensitive assessment tools that can serve as complements or alternatives to biomedical categories and diagnostic frameworks. The methods we describe are useful in identifying forms of suffering-expressed in culturally salient idioms of distress-that might be misidentified by biomedical classifications. We highlight the utility of a cognitive anthropological theoretical approach for developing measures that attend to local cultural categories of knowledge and experience. Attending to cultural insider perspectives is necessary because expressions of distress, thresholds of tolerance for distress, expectations about stress inherent in life, conceptions of the good life, symptom expression, and modes of help-seeking vary across cultures

Cognition · Cognitive psychology · Culturally appropriate · Culturally sensitive · Distress · Ethnography · Expression (computer science) · Psychiatry · Salient · Sociology · Anthropology · Clinical Psychology · Computer Science · Cultural Differences and Values · Medicine · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Psychology · Social Psychology · Social Representations and Identity · Gerontology

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Unique citing works7
Citations per year3,5
Citation span2024 - 2026 (3)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 6
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