1) Read the following article “The Americanization of Mental Illness” from the January 10, 2010
edition of The New York Times Magazine.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/magazine/10psyche-t.html?em=&pagewanted=print
or attached document
2) Provide a three-paragraph summary of the article. Some topics/issues on which you may want to
focus:
--Evidence that certain mental illnesses may vary by culture and historical era.
--Sing Lee’s observations.
--Reasons why cultural biases with regard to mental health and illness are rarely discussed in
professional literature.
--The societal impact of viewing mental illness as a “brain disease” (Sheila Mehta’s research).
--Cross-cultural research on schizophrenia and the theoretical reasons why people with
schizophrenia in developing countries appear to fare better over time than those living in
industrialized countries (Juli McGruder’s research).
3) Provide a one-paragraph reflection on the information and theories discussed in the article.
Assignment created by Mr. C Thun, AP Psychology Instructor