What is culture, and how does it influence perceptions about mental health? Culture and Mental Health examines the role of sociocultural issues on mental health, psychological disorders, and assessment. The book takes a critical look at the research pertaining to common psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety, presenting a refreshing new approach to understanding mental health. Each chapter emphasizes issues that pertain to perception, health-seeking behaviors, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment in the context of cultural variations. The book is specifically designed to help readers understand the meaning of culture, how health behaviors vary within cultures, and how cultural factors affect well-being.
Sussie Eshun is a licensed psychologist and Professor of Psychology at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. In addition to clinical practice, she has several publications on the role of culture in suicide, depression, and stress. She has developed and taught several courses on culture, adjustment, and human development, and is a strong advocate for including empirical research on cultural diversity in the curriculum. She currently serves as Chair for the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity at her campus and has been actively involved in workshops and seminars with the Office of Diversity at the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education's (PASSHE) chancellor's office. She has been awarded several diversity grants for mentoring ethnic minority high school students and also for recruitment and retention of diverse faculty.
Regan A. R. Gurung is Chair of the Human Development department and Professor of Human Development and Psychology at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. He is also Co-Director of the University of Wisconsin Green Bay Teaching Scholars Program, has been a UWGB Teaching Fellow, a UW System Teaching Scholar, and is winner of the Founder's Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Founder's Award for Excellence in Scholarship, as well as UW Teaching-at-its-Best, Creative Teaching, and Featured Faculty Awards. He is the author of two other books: Health Psychology: A Cultural Approach (2e, 2010) and Optimizing Teaching and Learning: Catalyzing Pedagogical Research (with Beth Schwartz), and is co-editor of two other books: Getting Culture? Best Practices for Incorporating Culture into the Curriculum (with Loreto Prieto), and Practicing our Signatures: Teaching Disciplinary Habits of Mind (with Nancy Chick and Aeron Haynie).