Understanding Adolescent Depression in Ethnocultural Context

Asian-American adolescents often are regarded as a "model minority" and as being less likely to experience depression than adolescents of other ethnic groups. African-American adolescents are more often diagnosed with schizophrenia than depression. Do these epidemiologic phenomena reflect the real facts, or are these just artifacts shaped by cultural bias or insensitivity prevailing in this society? This article explores the diagnostic bias resulting in misdiagnosis of adolescent depression and reviews the role of culture/ethnicity in mental health and the ethnocultural variations in depression among African-American, Hispanic-American, and Asian-American adolescents. By discussing the issues, this article guides nurses to enhance cultural competence in nursing care.