Name: Marie-Claire Marty

Tutorial Class: Kingswood, Thursday 2:00pm

Discuss how individual differences in culture and biology influence

the development of mental illness.
It is inevitable that everyone will experience some challenges with mental health at one point of their
life. The uniqueness of every individual’s biological nature, and the diversity of cultural practices, are
two important determinants which play a significant role in the development of a mental illness. Unlike
physical illness, where the issue is usually evident, mental health conditions may be more challenging
to identify and understand, as the symptoms are often subjective and vary from person to person. It is
worth investigating these individual differences and their influence on developing a mental illness as it
may bring awareness to higher-risk populations, and also assist healthcare workers in establishing
diagnoses and appropriate treatments.
Concisely linking all the biological factors which contribute to the onset of mental illness remains
difficult, as different conditions are influenced by particular traits. For example, Remes et al. (2021)
and Sareen (2014) are both systematic studies which concluded that women have a higher risk of
developing depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, respectively. On the other hand, a study in
Thailand found that men are more susceptible to alcohol and substance use disorders, which was
stated to be influenced by characteristic gender behvaiour (Suanrueang et al., 2022). Although some
mental illnesses are more popular in a certain sex, it is important to note that environmental and
psychosocial factors can also be preventative or motivating, influencing the data around gender-
related conditions. Remes et al. (2021) also stated that genetics, and the presence of the brain-
derived neurotrophic factor gene in particular, have been positively correlated to an increased risk of
major depressive disorder. Although most biological factors cannot be altered, there is some hope to
what can be changed to decrease risks of developing mental illnesses. The complex gut microbiome
has recently become a popular research topic, and for good reason, as it has been associated with
emotional regulation and inflammation which influences mood disorders (Remes et al., 2021).
Interestingly, research finds that diets can alter the biological make-up of our microbiome, providing
insight on how individuals can encourage preventative factors themselves.
Unlike biology which one is born with, culture is what one is born into. It not only effects how health is
perceived and expressed, but also the risk developing mental illnesses. In the Western world, cultural
influences are linked to beauty standards, and have been shown to increase the rates of eating
disorders in women living in Japan, Iran, and Singapore, as slimmer bodies are showcased as higher
value (Rikani et al., 2013). The evolution of the Western culture has seen many trends, with the one
of the latest including the admiration of ‘hustle’ and ‘toxic productivity’. While this is not a culture-
specific practice, it may be a key contributor to the higher prevalence of anxiety disorders in White
Americans, due to other ethnic groups and their different cultural practices (Hofmann & Hinton, 2015).
The development of mental illnesses is not limited to current events, but can also be prompted by
past trauma. Australia’s Indigenous population have undoubtedly faced hardship such as dislocation,
loss of spiritual identity, and violence, which has led to higher prevalence of mood, anxiety, and
substance use disorder compared to the general Australian population (Nasir et al., 2018). Although
these findings place an emphasis on the cultural backgrounds that are more vulnerable to developing
certain mental illnesses, there are many others which have practices that act as preventative
measures.
Evidently, the complexity of mental illness and its determinants requires a more comprehensive
overview, however, this discussion brings awareness to the factors which contribute to an individual’s
risk of developing a mental illness.
 References

Hofmann, S. G., & Hinton, D. E. (2015). Cross-cultural aspects of anxiety disorders. Current
Psychiatry Reports, 16(6), 450. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-014-0450-3
Nasir, B. F., Toombs, M. R., Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, S., Kisely, S., Gill, N. S., Black, E.,
Hayman, N., Ranmuthugala, G., Beccaria, G., Ostini, R., & Nicholson, G. C. (2018). Common
mental disorders among Indigenous people living in region, remote and metropolitan Australia:
a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open, 8(6), e020196. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-
020196
Remes, O., Mendes, J. F., & Templeton, P. (2021). Biological, psychological, and social determinants
of depression: a review of recent literature. Brain Sciences, 11(12), 1633.
https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11121633
Rikani, A. A., Choudhry, Z., Choudhry, A. M. Ikram, H. Asghar, M. W., Kajal, D., Waheed, A., &
Mobassarah, N. J. (2013). A critique of the literature on etiology of eating disorders. Annals of
Neurosciences, 20(4), 157-161. https://doi.org/10.5214/ans.0972.7531.200409
Sareen, J. (2014). Posttraumatic stress disorder in adults: impact, comorbidity, risk factors, and
treatment. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 59(9), 460-467.
https://doi.org/10.1177/070674371405900902
Suanrueang, P., Peltzer, K., Suen, M., Lin, H., & Er, T. (2022). Trends and gender differences in
mental disorders in hospitalized patients in Thailand. Inquiry: A Journal of Medical Care
Organization, Provision and Financing, 59. https://doi.org/10.1177/00469580221092827