Race, Culture, and Diagnosis of Psychosis-View Presentation

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Video Summary

The session on "Race, Culture, and Diagnosis of Psychosis," led by Dr. Deidre Anglin, focuses on understanding the impact of race and racism on the diagnosis of psychosis, particularly in Black and Latinx populations. Dr. Anglin explains how historical socio-political contexts have contributed to the over-diagnosis of schizophrenia in African Americans by discussing the racialization of mental health diagnostics, particularly during the Civil Rights Movement. She also highlights the discrepancy where clinicians might overlook mood symptoms in individuals of color, leading to incorrect schizophrenia diagnoses instead of affective disorders like psychotic depression or bipolar disorder.<br /><br />Dr. Anglin emphasizes the spectrum of psychosis, suggesting that psychotic experiences may be more prevalent in Black and Latinx individuals due to social determinants like racial discrimination and trauma. She presents evidence that these experiences can be mistaken for clinical disorders, but often relate to trauma-induced dissociation, cultural mistrust, and the environment, such as high-crime neighborhoods demanding hyper-vigilance.<br /><br />The presentation encourages clinicians to consider contextual and social factors, biases, and the impact of structural racism and microaggressions in their diagnostic processes. Dr. Anglin stresses cultural humility, urging therapists to recognize their own biases and to openly discuss issues of race and discrimination to foster better therapeutic relationships and more accurate diagnoses. These insights aim to improve mental health outcomes by acknowledging the broader social factors affecting psychosis in racially marginalized groups.

Keywords

psychosis

race

racism

Black populations

Latinx populations

schizophrenia

cultural humility

structural racism

mental health

diagnostic bias