Abstract
This chapter focuses on the role of ethnographic understanding in conducting assessments in research and clinical settings. We adhere closely to Arthur Kleinman’s (1977, 1988a, 1988b) conception of the nature and purposes of mental health assessment. We begin by recounting his argument for the centrality of the ethnographic perspective to the development of valid assessments, particularly when assessor and assessed differ in cultural background. We then describe two approaches to engendering ethnographic understanding in research and clinical contexts: Byron Good’s (1977; Good, Good, & Moradi, 1985) classic “semantic network analysis,” and Jurg Siegfried’s (1998) more recently developed “common sense reasoning” analysis. Finally, we close with some reflections on next critical steps toward enhancing ethnographic understanding in the assessment process. We call for more active, long-term collaboration among and between cross-cultural researchers and practitioners to create the capacity and knowledge bases for ethnographically informed clinical assessment.
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Uehara, E.S., Farwell, N., Yamashiro, G., Smukler, M. (2002). The Place of Ethnographic Understanding in the Assessment of Asian American Mental Health. In: Kurasaki, K.S., Okazaki, S., Sue, S. (eds) Asian American Mental Health. International and Cultural Psychology Series. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0735-2_15
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0735-2_15
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