Cultural contributions to adults' self-rated mental health problems and strengths: 7 culture clusters, 28 societies, 16 906 adults - Université Paris Nanterre
Journal Articles (Data Paper) Psychological Medicine Year : 2023

Cultural contributions to adults' self-rated mental health problems and strengths: 7 culture clusters, 28 societies, 16 906 adults

William Copeland
Masha Ivanova
  • Function : Author
Thomas Achenbach
  • Function : Author
Lori Turner
  • Function : Author
Guangyu Tong
  • Function : Author
Adelina Ahmeti-Pronaj
  • Function : Author
Alma Au
  • Function : Author
Monica Bellina
  • Function : Author
J. Carlos Caldas
  • Function : Author
Yi-Chuen Chen
  • Function : Author
Ladislav Csemy
  • Function : Author
Marina da Rocha
  • Function : Author
Anca Dobrean
  • Function : Author
Lourdes Ezpeleta
  • Function : Author
Yasuko Funabiki
  • Function : Author
Valerie Harder
  • Function : Author
Felipe Lecannelier
  • Function : Author
Marie Leiner de la Cabada
  • Function : Author
Patrick Leung
  • Function : Author
Jianghong Liu
  • Function : Author
Sergey Malykh
  • Function : Author
Jasminka Markovic
  • Function : Author
David Ndetei
  • Function : Author
Kyung Ja Oh
  • Function : Author
Jean-Michel Petot
  • Function : Author
Geylan Riad
  • Function : Author
Direnc Sakarya
  • Function : Author
Virginia Samaniego
  • Function : Author
Sandra Sebre
  • Function : Author
Mimoza Shahini
  • Function : Author
Edwiges Silvares
  • Function : Author
Roma Simulioniene
  • Function : Author
Elvisa Sokoli
  • Function : Author
Joel Talcott
  • Function : Author
Natalia Vazquez
  • Function : Author
Tomasz Wolanczyk
  • Function : Author
Ewa Zasepa
  • Function : Author

Abstract

Abstract Background It is unknown how much variation in adult mental health problems is associated with differences between societal/cultural groups, over and above differences between individuals. Methods To test these relative contributions, a consortium of indigenous researchers collected Adult Self-Report (ASR) ratings from 16 906 18- to 59-year-olds in 28 societies that represented seven culture clusters identified in the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavioral Effectiveness study (e.g. Confucian, Anglo). The ASR is scored on 17 problem scales, plus a personal strengths scale. Hierarchical linear modeling estimated variance accounted for by individual differences (including measurement error), society, and culture cluster. Multi-level analyses of covariance tested age and gender effects. Results Across the 17 problem scales, the variance accounted for by individual differences ranged from 80.3% for DSM-oriented anxiety problems to 95.2% for DSM-oriented avoidant personality (mean = 90.7%); by society: 3.2% for DSM-oriented somatic problems to 8.0% for DSM-oriented anxiety problems (mean = 6.3%); and by culture cluster: 0.0% for DSM-oriented avoidant personality to 11.6% for DSM-oriented anxiety problems (mean = 3.0%). For strengths, individual differences accounted for 80.8% of variance, societal differences 10.5%, and cultural differences 8.7%. Age and gender had very small effects. Conclusions Overall, adults' self-ratings of mental health problems and strengths were associated much more with individual differences than societal/cultural differences, although this varied across scales. These findings support cross-cultural use of standardized measures to assess mental health problems, but urge caution in assessment of personal strengths.

Dates and versions

hal-04390087 , version 1 (12-01-2024)

Identifiers

Cite

William Copeland, Masha Ivanova, Thomas Achenbach, Lori Turner, Guangyu Tong, et al.. Cultural contributions to adults' self-rated mental health problems and strengths: 7 culture clusters, 28 societies, 16 906 adults. Psychological Medicine, 2023, 53 (16), pp.7581-7590. ⟨10.1017/S0033291723001332⟩. ⟨hal-04390087⟩
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