We had a great first gathering of our new Book Club, and the book we are discussing, Buddha and the Borderline, is a very interesting take on the disorder. I want to share this book I have had for years in my library that has come in handy when working with someone who has a personality disorder and there are cultural factors to consider. Here is the info:
Alarcon, R., Foulks, E., & Vakkur, M. (1998). Personality disorders and culture: Clinical and conceptual interactions. NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
He gives examples of specific cultures and their personalities as it relates to how the psych world can sometimes assume a PD when it is coming actually from a place of deeper cultural ties and influences. It was interesting for me to read about my own Japanese and Irish examples! Culture has a hand in everything we do in our work, because when we know the culture behind the clinical presentation, we avoid making assumptions and consequently wrong diagnoses and thus treatment plans.
What are your thoughts??