Cultural considerations in defining emotional disorders

Comments on an article by J. R. Bullis et al. (see record 2019-14691-001). Bullis et al. make a significant contribution in operationalizing a definition of emotional disorders and, more importantly, in recognizing shared etiological and maintenance mechanisms across these disorders. The authors outline three criteria for an emotional disorder: the experience of frequent and intense negative emotions, negative reactivity to intense emotional states, and efforts to avoid negative emotional experiences; further, distress and impairment are evident. Articulating mechanisms underlying dysfunction is crucial in informing treatment goals and approaches. This commentary is offered as an attempt to expand on Bullis and colleagues’ support for an emotional disorder definition by considering the influence of culture on emotional experiences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)