Presentation Information
[EL-6]FROM TRANSCULTURAL PSYCHIATRY TO CULTURAL PSYCHIATRY: the role of old mythologies and new scientific approaches in the construction of bio-cultural identities.
*Goffredo Bartocci1,2,3 (1.Italian Institute of Transcultural Mental Health(Italy), 2.World Association of Cultural Psychiatry(Italy), 3.Transcultural Psychiatry Section, Italian Society of Psychiatry(Italy))
Keywords:
Cultural Psychiatry,Biocultural Identities,Mythologies & Scientific Paradigms
Every population has its own way of conceiving the physical nature of external reality so as the phychological development of internal issues. The mental function of transcending what we call reality lead us to reflect on the multitude of cultural beliefs (magic, visionary, religious, rational, hyper-logical) influencing behaviours, ideas, emotions creating a vicious cycle between nature and culture.
This presentation will illustrate how Cultural Psychiatry emerged within the framework and throughout the development of Transcultural Psychiatry.
A complex task, made possible by the fact that the Author, who was the founder of WACP, was able to experience first hand the many aspects of this story, not only in theory but also in practice.
Pioneers of Transcultural Psychiatry used to compare clinical syndromes differentiating cultural influences from influences determined by the social context and the environment. As examples of changes in clinical syndromes over time, the Author will cite the increase of chronic psychotic syndromes in the West, versus the prevalence of brief pseudo-psychotic syndromes with altered states of consciousness and oniroid states in countries once defined as “traditional cultures”.
Particular attention will be given to the evaluation of the efficacy of the current scientific paradigma in establishing valid preventive and therapeutic procedures
This presentation will illustrate how Cultural Psychiatry emerged within the framework and throughout the development of Transcultural Psychiatry.
A complex task, made possible by the fact that the Author, who was the founder of WACP, was able to experience first hand the many aspects of this story, not only in theory but also in practice.
Pioneers of Transcultural Psychiatry used to compare clinical syndromes differentiating cultural influences from influences determined by the social context and the environment. As examples of changes in clinical syndromes over time, the Author will cite the increase of chronic psychotic syndromes in the West, versus the prevalence of brief pseudo-psychotic syndromes with altered states of consciousness and oniroid states in countries once defined as “traditional cultures”.
Particular attention will be given to the evaluation of the efficacy of the current scientific paradigma in establishing valid preventive and therapeutic procedures