Sociocultural Etiology
Identify one environmental factor that can lead to depression.
Loss, trauma, or social isolation.
Identify one cross-cultural client group.
First-generation immigrant, refugee, or student.
Define “Etic approach.”
A universal approach applying psychological concepts across cultures.
Identify the aim of Dein & Sembhi (2001).
Explored how cultural and religious beliefs affect the experience and treatment of depression in South Asian patients in the UK.
Is the sociocultural explanation of depression testable? Why or why not?
Partially. It is difficult to test sociocultural variables like "vulnerability" or "social support" in a controlled way, but correlations and case studies support patterns.
State what Brown & Harris (1978) studied.
The relationship between social factors and depression in women in London.
Explain why first-generation immigrants may be at higher risk for depression.
They face acculturative stress, language barriers, and discrimination.
Define “Emic approach.”
A culture-specific approach emphasizing unique cultural perspectives on mental illness.
Summarize their key finding.
Cultural understanding and religious coping are vital for effective therapy in minority groups.
What study provides strong evidence for the role of sociocultural factors in depression?
Brown & Harris (1978) — showed how social class, life events, and lack of support predicted depression in women.
Explain Brown’s Vulnerability Model.
Depression results when vulnerable individuals face stressful life events; vulnerability factors include lack of support, early loss, or social class.
Summarize Li-Repac (1980)’s study.
Compared Chinese-American and White-American therapists’ perceptions of clients; found that cultural bias influenced diagnosis.
Differentiate between indigenous and cross-cultural therapies.
Indigenous therapies arise within a culture; cross-cultural therapies adapt existing ones to different cultural contexts.
Describe Griner & Smith (2006)’s meta-analysis.
Culturally adapted therapies were four times more effective than non-adapted ones.
How can sociocultural theory be applied in real-world treatment or prevention?
It supports the development of community-based interventions, culturally-sensitive therapy, and social policy changes to reduce risk factors.
Describe one limitation of Brown’s model.
It was conducted only on women in the UK, limiting generalizability.
Describe Parker et al. (2001)’s key finding.
Western participants reported more emotional symptoms, while Chinese participants reported somatic symptoms like fatigue.
Describe Ando et al. (2009)’s findings.
Found mindfulness-based group therapy effective in reducing depressive symptoms in Japanese participants.
Explain Kalibatseva & Leong (2014)’s conclusion.
Culturally sensitive approaches are more effective for ethnic minority clients than traditional Western therapies.
Does the theory clearly define key concepts such as “vulnerability” or “cultural stigma”?
Partially. Concepts like vulnerability and cultural identity are complex and may vary by culture, reducing construct clarity.
Summarize Rosenquist, Fowler, & Christakis (2011).
Found that depression can spread through social networks—people are more likely to be depressed if friends are.
Explain how culture affects willingness to seek treatment.
Stigma and cultural norms may discourage open discussion of mental illness or favor somatic explanations.
Explain Chinese Taoist Cognitive Psychotherapy (Zhang et al., 2002).
Integrates Taoist philosophy with cognitive therapy to emphasize harmony, balance, and acceptance, improving depressive symptoms.
Evaluate why culturally adapted therapies are effective.
They respect clients’ cultural values, reduce stigma, and build therapist-client trust, improving engagement and outcomes.
Is the sociocultural approach culturally and gender unbiased?
No. Early models like Brown & Harris focused only on women in the UK, limiting cultural and gender generalizability.