socio-cultural factors

• Stigma


  A strong lack of respect for a person or a group or a bad opinion of them because they have done something society does not approve of
• Ataque de Nervios


  Syndrome among individuals of Latino Descent, characterized by symptoms of intense emotional upset, including acute anxiety, anger, or grief; screaming; attacks of crying; trembling; heat in the chest rising into the head; and becoming verbally and physically aggressive
• Dhat Syndrome


  Coined in South Asia (India) characterized by young male patients who attributed their symptoms to semen loss
• Koro


  Acute anxiety and a deep-seated fear of shrinkage of the penis and its ultimate retraction into the abdomen, which will cause death
• Khyal Cap


  Syndrome found among Cambodians characterized by panic attacks
• Kufungisisa


  Overthinking; idiom of distress and cultural explanation among the Shona of Zimbabwe
• Maladi Moun


  Haiti; sent sickness; interpersonal envy and malice cause people to harm their enemies by "sending illness"
• Nervios


  Among Latinos; general state of vulnerability to stressful life experiences and to difficult life circumstances
• Shenjing Shuairuo


  Syndrome composed of weakness, emotions, excitement, nervous pain, and sleep
• Susto


  Distress and misfortune prevalent among some Latinos in US, attributed to a frightening event that causes the soul to leave the body and results to unhappiness and sickness, as well as functioning in key social roles
• Cause of Susto


  Individual believes that he or she has become the subject of black magic
• Susto


  Similar to Maladi Moun
• Taijin Kyufusho


  An intense fear that one's body parts or functions displease, embarrass or are offensive to others
• Amok


  Syndrome or pattern of behavior acknowledged in Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia) characterized by sudden outbursts and frenzied violent behaviors after a period of brooding and quiet
• The likelihood of having a particular phobia is powerfully influenced by gender
• Males are more likely than females to self-medicate their fear and panic with alcohol and in so doing start down the slippery slope to addiction
• BN, AN, and BDD is common to females
• Well-established ability of women to recall emotional memories somewhat better than men may facilitate emotional processing and long-term treatment gains
• Dissociative Trance


  Counterpart of DID in eastern countries; sapi
• Experiences during different periods of development may influence our vulnerability to other types of stress or to differing psychological disorders
• If mistakes were made, they should do something to correct or minimize the mistakes
• If an ethical violation made by another psychologist was witnessed, they should resolve the issue with informal resolution, as long as it does not violate any confidentiality rights that may be involved
• When they are tasked to provide services to clients who are deprived of mental health services (e.g., communities far from the urban cities), however, they were still not able to obtain the needed competence for the job, they could still provide services AS LONG AS they make reasonable effort to obtain the competence required, just to ensure that the services were not denied to those communities
• During emergencies, psychologists provide services to individuals, even though they are yet to complete the competency/training needed just to ensure that services were not denied. However, the services are discontinued once the appropriate services are available
• Informed Consent


  • When conducting research, providing assessment, therapy, counseling, or consultation
  • For legally INCAPABLE, they must provide appropriate explanation, assent, consider the client's preferences and best interests, and obtain permission from a legally authorized person
  • If COURT ORDERED, they must inform the nature of the services, whether it is court order or mandated, as well as, its limits of confidentiality before proceeding
  • Must document written or oral consent, permission, and assent
• In case of interruption of services (such as death, relocation, illness, retirement), psychologists must make reasonable efforts to plan for continuing services
• Psychologists should discuss the limits of confidentiality, uses of the information that would be generated from the services to the persons and organizations with whom they establish a scientific or professional relationships
• Before recording voices or images, they must obtain permission first from all persons involved or their legal rep
• Only discuss confidential information with persons clearly concerned/involved with the matters
• Disclosure is allowed with appropriate consent
• No disclosure of confidential information that could lead to the identification of a client unless they have obtained prior consent or the disclosure cannot be avoided
• Exemptions to disclosure


  • If the client is disguised/identity is protected
  • Has consent
  • Legally mandated
• Opinions written on recommendations, reports, and diagnostic or evaluative statements must be based and sufficient to their findings
• Only provide statements after conducting examinations to support their statements
• Exceptions to Informed Consent

  • Mandated by law
  • Routine
  • Evaluating decisional capacity
• If the person has a questionable capacity to consent, it must be obtained using the language that is reasonably understandable to the person being assessed
• In the absence of client/patient release, psychologists must provide test data only as required by law
• Psychological assessment techniques done by unqualified persons, except during training purposes, given it is supervised
• When conducting or providing services to several persons who have a relationship, they should clarify which of them is the clients and the relationship he/she will have with each person
• If conflicting roles would arise, he/she must clarify, modify, or withdraw from roles appropriately