Culture and personality disorder: a focus on Indigenous Australians.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To examine the validity of concept and diagnosis of personality disorder in transcultural settings using Indigenous Australian people as an example.

RECENT FINDINGS: There are significant deficits in comparative research on personality disorders across cultures. There is also a dearth of information regarding Indigenous Australians, and cultural applicability and clinical utility of the diagnosis of personality disorder in this group.

SUMMARY: The concept of culture is generally ignored when making a diagnosis of personality disorder. A valid diagnosis should incorporate what would be considered understandable and adaptive behavior in a person's culture. In Indigenous Australian culture, making diagnosis of a personality disorder is complicated by historical trauma from colonization, disruption of kinship networks, and ongoing effects of poverty and social marginalization.