Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing by Videbeck

7 CLIENT’SRESPONSE TOILLNESS 143

Table 7-4

CULTURALASSESSMENTFACTORS OFVARIOUSCULTURESAFFECTINGRESPONSE TOILLNESS

Social Time
Culture Communication Space Organization Orientation

Nonverbal:affec-

tionate, hugging,

touching, eye

contact

Tone:may be loud

and animated

Nonverbal:respect

communicated

by avoiding eye

contact

Tone:quiet,

reserved

Nonverbal:expres-

sive, warm, other-

oriented, shy and

modest

Tone:flowery, loud

voice means mes-

sage is important

Nonverbal:silence

welcomed rather

than chatter; eye

contact accept-

able, but “polite”

women lower

their eyes

Tone:quiet

Nonverbal:eye con-

tact and touching

among family and

friends; eye con-

tact avoided with

authority figures

Tone:expressive

and may appear

loud

Nonverbal:direct

eye contact,

outgoing, close

contact and

touching with

family and friends

Tone:loud in nor-

mal conversation,

direct commands

or requests may

seem forceful

Nonverbal:shy and

affectionate, little

direct eye contact

with authority

figures

Tone:soft-spoken,

tone changes with

emotion

Respect privacy,

respectful ap-

proach, hand-

shake appropriate

Light-touch hand-

shake

Prefer closeness in

space and with

same sex

Small personal

space with one

another

Keep respectful

distance

Preferences for

personal space

vary greatly

Handshakes not

usually practiced,

personal space

constricted

Family: nuclear,

extended, matriar-

chal, may include

close friends

Family: vary; may

be matrilineal or

patrilineal clan

Family: nuclear and

extended, often in

same household

Family-oriented,

usually three

generations in

one house

Extended families

common, wife

expected to be

part of husband’s

family

Family-oriented, ex-

tended families in

same household

Family-oriented,

nuclear and

extended, may

have several

generations in

one household

Flexible, nonlinear;

life issues may take

priority over keep-

ing appointments

Flexible, nonlinear;

flow with natural

cycles rather than

scheduled, rigid

appointments

More past and future

than present

Flexible attitude,

tardiness for

appointments

expected, emphasis

on past (remember-

ing ancestors) but

also on present,

because actions will

determine future

Being on time not

valued

Social orientation to

time varies, on

time for business

appointments

Both past and present

orientations; tardy

for social events

but on time for

business events like

appointments

(continued)

African American

American
Indians/Native
Americans

Arab American

Cambodian

Chinese

Cuban

Filipinos