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Rosso Buckton A. Conversations between anthropology and psychiatry: drawing out the best from interdisciplinarity in global mental health. Australas Psychiatry. 2015;23(6):3-5doi: 10.1177/1039856215608291.
Rosso Buckton, A. (2015). Conversations between anthropology and psychiatry: drawing out the best from interdisciplinarity in global mental health. Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, 23(6), 3-5. https://doi.org/10.1177/1039856215608291
Rosso Buckton, Amanda. "Conversations between anthropology and psychiatry: drawing out the best from interdisciplinarity in global mental health." Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists vol. 23,6 (2015): 3-5. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1039856215608291
Rosso Buckton A. Conversations between anthropology and psychiatry: drawing out the best from interdisciplinarity in global mental health. Australas Psychiatry. 2015 Dec;23(6):3-5. doi: 10.1177/1039856215608291. PMID: 26634658.
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Australas Psychiatry. 2015 Dec;23(6):3-5. doi: 10.1177/1039856215608291.

Conversations between anthropology and psychiatry: drawing out the best from interdisciplinarity in global mental health.

Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists

Amanda Rosso Buckton

Affiliations

  1. Course Coordinator, Postgraduate Programs in Mental Health for General Practitioners and Master of Psychiatry/Postgraduate Course in Psychiatry, The NSW Institute of Psychiatry, Parramatta, NSW, Australia [email protected].

PMID: 26634658 DOI: 10.1177/1039856215608291

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Conversations between anthropologists and psychiatrists have led to new theoretical trajectories, research agendas and clinical practices as social scientists and medical practitioners forged new understandings about the interaction of culture, personhood and illness. However, the demands of global mental health, coupled with health service provision requirements, mean that mental health interventions set up with the best intentions can fail to take into account the knowledge and expertise that social sciences can contribute to a programme's success. In this paper, I reflect on conversations between an anthropologist and mental health professionals in direct reference to data analysis of an AusAID mental health capacity-building programme undertaken in the Pacific region.

CONCLUSIONS: Social and cultural perspectives embedded within programmes can provide richer, more contextualised interventions. In drawing on the combined expertise of anthropology and psychiatry, new taken-for-granted reference points embedding cultural approaches form the basis for delivery of global mental health programmes. These perspectives include: Locating mental health programmes within development critiques. Situating the subjects of development within contextualised settings, acknowledging and respecting local knowledge, understandings and practices. A focus on interdisciplinarity as the basis for future practice in global mental health projects.

© The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Keywords: anthropology; development; global mental health; psychiatry

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