DSM-5¬ Handbook on the Cultural Formulation Interview

DSM-5 Handbook of the Cultural Formulation Interview provides the background,
context, and detailed guidance necessary to train clinicians in the use of the
Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI), which was created as part of the 2007-2013
DSM revision process. The purpose of the CFI-and this unique handbook-is to make
it easier for providers to account for the influence of culture in their
clinical work to enhance patient-clinician communication and improve outcomes.
Cultural psychiatry as a field has evolved enormously from the days when it was
principally concerned with epidemiological and clinical studies of disease
prevalence; it now examines a multitude of issues, primary among them the
differing patient, family, and practitioner models of illness and treatment
experiences within and across cultures. The editors, all of whom have been
intimately involved in the evolution of the field, have designed the book and
accompanying videos for maximum instructional and clinical utility.

The
Handbook boasts many strengths and useful features, including: A detailed
description of each of the three CFI components: a core 16-item questionnaire,
which can be applied in any clinical setting with any patient by any mental
health clinician; an informant version of the core CFI used to obtain
information from caregivers; and 12 supplementary modules that expand on these
basic assessments. This material facilitates implementation of the CFI by
clinicians. Over a dozen clinical vignettes are included to illustrate use of
the three components, and the Handbook also includes multiple videos that
demonstrate the application of portions of the core CFI, and several
supplementary modules. Strategies for incorporating the CFI into clinical
training are identified and discussed, furthering the objective of developing
culturally-sensitive and astute practitioners. The theoretical bases of the CFI
are explored, raising questions for discussion and identifying areas for further
research.

The CFI is a valuable tool for all patients, not just those
judged to be culturally different. The CFI has been called the single most
practically useful contribution of cultural psychiatry and medical anthropology
to clinical psychiatry, primary care, and medicine in general. DSM-5 Handbook on
the Cultural Formulation Interview is the only book on the market that equips
readers with the skills and insight to incorporate the CFI into practice, making
it a critically important addition to the clinical literature.