DSM-5 Handbook of the Cultural Formulation Interview: A Comprehensive Guide

Authored by renowned expert Roberto Lewis-Fernandez, the DSM-5 Handbook of the Cultural Formulation Interview is a groundbreaking resource that provides clinicians with the necessary background, context, and guidance to effectively integrate the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) into their practice.

Enhancing Patient-Clinician Communication and Outcomes

The CFI was developed as part of the 2007-2013 DSM revision process to help clinicians account for the influence of culture in their clinical work, thereby enhancing patient-clinician communication and improving outcomes. This handbook serves as a valuable companion to the CFI, offering a unique and comprehensive resource for clinicians seeking to provide culturally sensitive care.

The Evolution of Cultural Psychiatry

Cultural psychiatry has undergone significant transformations since its early days of focusing on epidemiological and clinical studies of disease prevalence. Today, the field examines a wide range of issues, including differing patient, family, and practitioner models of illness and treatment experiences within and across cultures. The editors of this handbook, each intimately involved in the evolution of the field, have designed the book and accompanying videos to maximize instructional and clinical utility.

Key Features and Strengths

This handbook boasts several key features and strengths, including:

• A detailed description of each of the three CFI components: a core 16-item questionnaire, an informant version, and 12 supplementary modules.
• Over a dozen clinical vignettes that illustrate the use of the three components.
• Multiple videos that demonstrate the application of portions of the core CFI and supplementary modules.
• Strategies for incorporating the CFI into clinical training to develop culturally sensitive and astute practitioners.
• Exploration of the theoretical bases of the CFI, raising questions for discussion and identifying areas for further research.

A Valuable Tool for Clinical Practice

The CFI is a valuable tool for all patients, not just those deemed culturally different. In fact, it has been called the single most practically useful contribution of cultural psychiatry and medical anthropology to clinical psychiatry, primary care, and medicine in general. This handbook is the only resource 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.

By providing a comprehensive guide to the Cultural Formulation Interview, this handbook is an essential resource for mental health clinicians, researchers, and educators seeking to provide culturally sensitive care and improve patient outcomes.