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Cultural Applicability of Screening Tools for Measuring Symptoms of Depression

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Screening for Depression and Other Psychological Problems in Diabetes

Abstract

Both the type as well as the severity of depressive symptoms requires assessment through culturally sensitive screening tools, if appropriate psychological services are to be provided. Awareness of culturally appropriate terminology for depression is a useful way of bridging the gap between lay and biomedical models of illness and may help improve levels of recognition, measurement, and treatment. In this chapter, the cultural meaning of depression, issues concerning culturally appropriate translations, and the cultural applicability of depression screening tools, in those whose main language is not English, will be discussed and reflected upon. This chapter will also illustrate the relevance of a culture-centered approach to our understanding of mental health illness and will outline some of the key issues related to the development of culturally sensitive depression screening tools to be used in South Asians.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Social Research in Medicines and Health, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK

    Tapash Roy MBBS, M.Sc., Ph.D.

  2. Faculty of Health and Social Care, The Open University, Buckinghamshire, UK

    Cathy E. Lloyd Ph.D.

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  1. Tapash Roy MBBS, M.Sc., Ph.D.
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  2. Cathy E. Lloyd Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Tapash Roy MBBS, M.Sc., Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Faculty of Health & Social Care, Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, United Kingdom

    Cathy E. Lloyd

  2. Tilburg University, Tilburg, 5000 LE, Netherlands

    Frans Pouwer

  3. Wuerzburg, Germany

    Norbert Hermanns

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Roy, T., Lloyd, C.E. (2013). Cultural Applicability of Screening Tools for Measuring Symptoms of Depression. In: Lloyd, C., Pouwer, F., Hermanns, N. (eds) Screening for Depression and Other Psychological Problems in Diabetes. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-751-8_4

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