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TOPIC: There are a number of culture-bound syndromes in the literature that may directly impact on clients' systems of meaning and, thus, the clinician's ability to effectively intervene. This applies to Hispanic/Latino children, particularly those who present with anxiety and somatic symptoms.
PURPOSE: This case study deals with a 14-year-old Hispanic girl who presented at a behavioral health clinic with anxiety behaviors.
SOURCES: Review of the literature and case example from practice.
CONCLUSION: Since culture can have a profound influence on a child's thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, nurses' cultural understanding is critical in psychiatric diagnostic evaluation and treatment.
Search terms: Anxiety, children and adolescents, cross-cultural, culture-bound syndromes
There are approximately 1,000 child and adolescent clinical nurse specialists and 500 psychiatric nurse practitioners in the United States, many of whom are likely to be treating children and adolescents. Given the multicultural nature of many communities, it is critical that nurses understand how culture could influence diagnosis and treatment. Culture affects how one defines health and illness, including the meanings of specific physical and psychological sensations. Over 14% of the U.S. population is of Latino or Hispanic origin, based on the findings of the 2004 Census (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006). The concentration of patients of Hispanic heritage is disseminated across the nation. As such, culture and the resultant meaning of symptoms is a universal issue, particularly the impact of culture on the delivery of services. This is especially true in mental health, where the client's presentation can be profoundly influenced by the way a particular culture defines mental/physical disturbances. The existing literature lacks a strong advanced practice nursing emphasis in this regard; however, a number of well-defined, culture-bound syndromes have been described. These syndromes may directly impact on clients' systems of meaning and, thus, the clinician's ability to effectively evaluate and treat. This applies to Hispanic/Latino children, particularly those who present with primary anxiety and somatic symptoms. This case study deals with a young girl who presented at a behavioral health clinic with anxiety behaviors.
Research conducted by Klein and Last (1989) and Messer and Beidel (1994) demonstrated that anxiety disorders commonly occur in school-aged children and are frequently associated with adverse outcomes, including social isolation, interpersonal difficulties, and impaired school adjustment. It was further suggested...