The Cultural Formulation: A Model to Combine Nosology and Patients’ Life Context in Psychiatric Diagnostic Practice

Abstract

This article discusses the experience of adapting and applying the Outline for a Cultural Formulation in DSM-IV to the Swedish context. Findings from a research project on the Cultural Formulation highlight the value of combining psychiatric nosological categorization with an understanding of patients’ cultural life context in order to increase the validity of categorization and to formulate individualized treatment plans. In clinical care practitioners need models and tools that help them take into account patients’ cultural backgrounds, needs, and resources in psychiatric diagnostic practice. We present a summary of a Swedish manual for conducting a Cultural Formulation interview. The need for further development of the Cultural Formulation is also discussed.