The influence of culture on cognition.

This article presents a theoretical and methodological framework that seeks to integrate multiple sources of pertinent data that must be taken into account to interpret neuropsychological test results of individuals of non-European ancestry. It is proposed that cultural factors have a determining influence on an individual's behavior regardless of the neurophysiological status of the brain. A differentiation is made between the effects of culture/language and socioeconomic level on cognitive testing results and suggestions are made to assist in discriminating between these variables. Taking as illustration the assessment of Latino patients, focus is given to the accurate neuropsychological evaluation of individuals with little education, of non-European cultures, and with a primary language other than English.

Cultural issues in an Outpatient Program for stimulant abusers.

Cocaine abuse has created widespread problems, especially in poor urban ethnic minority communities. This article discusses the cultural issues in delivering a cocaine treatment program to a predominantly minority patient population. The Stimulant Treatment Outpatient Program (STOP) of San Francisco General Hospital's Substance Abuse Services was established in 1990 as a public service clinic. Many program elements apply equally well to various cultural groups, including individual and group counseling, limited time in treatment, and crisis intervention. Culturally linked clinical issues include provision of a supportive infrastructure, role models in leadership positions, understanding the cultural influences in patients' lives, and establishing communication links with Cultural themes are discussed as they apply to treating African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans, Native Americans, and clients of different genders. Programmatic outcome indicators, including program attrition, suggest that different cultural groups benefit differentially from the treatment.

Substance use patterns of Latinas: commentary.

Six papers were presented in the course of a 2-day symposium on the topic of Latinas and Substance Use. The individuals invited to present included established as well as evolving female investigators within the fields of indigenous peoples' psychology, sociology, and ethnography. Methodology used in the studies ranged from epidemiological telephone surveys to ethnographic observations. What made this conference unique and exciting in the first place was that a select group of female researchers, who have as the focus of their investigations substance use patterns in Latino populations, were gathered together for 2 days to listen, process, and discuss the Latina experience as it relates to her profile of substance use, abuse, and her response to substance use and abusing patterns within her family and community. Topics of investigations included depth of HIV knowledge among adolescent Latinas, prevalence of protective practices of Latinas when engaging in high-risk behaviors, and childhood experiences of Latinas who exhibit extremely deviant behaviors. All of the studies had as a primary background substance-using practices primarily related to alcohol use and abuse. In her literature review Canino states that alcohol consumption is multiply influenced or determined by the community's perception of this behavior, accessibility to the substance, physiological tolerance, demographic variables, and ethnic and subcultural group characteristics. The papers presented in one way or another substantiate and support this perspective. The present critique raises a number of questions about what may constitute culturally sensitive research methodology, the confounds in the interpretation of acculturation as a unitary concept, and the troubling issues and conflicts raised by what is perceived as an imperative to preserve cultural traditions.