Cross Cultural Perspectives On Quality Of Life

The concept of quality of life exists in an increasingly culturally divergent and international environment. This global orientation means increased cultural exchanges and cross-cultural research to understand both the culture-bound and universal nature of the quality-of-life concept. In this extensive survey, two renowned quality of life experts provide a global outlook on quality of life issues for people with mental retardation.

Considerable data and expertise have accumulated in the assessment of quality of life, but to date this assessment has largely been restricted to the devel- ment of instruments that are used only in the setting in which they were dev- oped. The chapters of this book, taken together, apply this expertise to a re- tively new area: international quality of life assessment, that is to say, consid- ing quality of life from an international perspective, and developing methods for the assessment of quality of life that can be used in more than one cultural setting. The World Health Organization (WHO) initiatives in the area of inter- tional quality of life assessment arose for several compelling reasons. The World Health Organization has a commitment to equitable and accessible health care for all. This commitment refers not only to health in its narrow sense of the absence of disease and impairment, but to health as astate of physical, mental and social well-being. Disease and impairment affect not just the physical domain of life but also a person's psychological state, level of - dependence and social relationships. This is a reality not yet fully reflected in health care settings. The broadening in focus in the measurement of health to include indicators which address this more holistic sense of health is a welcome emerging trend. The primary aim of any health intervention is to maximise health and minimise disease, thereby enhancing patients' quality of life.

Different cultures experience happiness differently. Traditionally, the West is considered materialistic, and happiness is said to come from achievement and acquisition. The East is said to be more people-oriented, where happiness is a result of deep personal interactions. Thus, poor people can be happier in the East than the West, because they are not so concerned with possession and more with society. This book considers happiness and quality of life in non-Western countries and cultures. Its coverage is diverse and spans the breadth of the non-Western world, revealing unique perspectives of happiness and life quality embedded in rich cultural traditions and histories.

The construct ‘‘quality of life (QoL)’’, since the 1980s, when it was introduced, is being used mainly in the context of health problems. Areas of one’s life that contribute to QoL are good physical and mental health, efficient cognitive functioning, social support, being able to meet the requirements of professional life, positive emotions, etc (Power, 2003). Work on subjective well-being (SWB), on the other hand, was developed in the context of healthy everyday life; it also has a history of more than 30 years. During this 30-year period factors that have an impact on SWB, such as SES, gender, health, age, and religiosity have been identified (Diener, 2000). A third independent line of research pertains to what has been called Positive Psychology (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000), that is, an emphasis on human strengths, such as optimism, hope, wisdom, positive emotions, resilience, etc., which contribute to positive functioning in life. Recently, SWB has been associated to human strengths and to the movement of positive psychology but this did not happen for QoL, possibly because of its emphasis on people with health problems. However, QoL can be conceived of as a generic term that pertains to all people, healthy or not. In this sense, it is closely related to SWB defined as happiness (Diener, 2000). Also, QoL encompasses positive emotions that go beyond happiness and has the advantage that it can be applied to many different domains of life such as interpersonal relations, health-related situations, and professional and educational strivings. Moreover, the mechanism(s) that underpin QoL and SWB can be studied in relation to people’s goals and strengths of character, that is, from a positive psychological perspective. Such a perspective can reveal the specificities of “quality” in the various domains of life and, specifically, the positive emotions and strengths that contribute to a happier, healthier, and more successful life, even in face of adversity. Therefore, despite the differences among the three theoretical traditions, namely QoL, SWB, and positive psychology, it is possible to find the common ground they share and each of them can benefit from notions developed in the others. The aim of the present book is to bring together these three traditions, show the interactions of variables emphasized by them, and give an integrative perspective from the positive psychology point of view. It also aims to extend the range of life situations in which one can look for quality and which go beyond the traditional emphasis of QoL on health problems. Thus, the content of the proposed book covers different age populations (from children to older adults), healthy and people facing health problems as well as people facing problems in their interpersonal lives or in their pursuits. It also discusses factors that contribute to marital satisfaction, well being in the school context, and things that people value and cherish. The chapters refer to notions such as happiness, interest, resilience, wisdom, hope, altruism, optimism, and spirituality/religiosity that represent unique human strengths. Finally, it emphasizes the role of goals and motivation that connect SWB with self-regulation and managing of one’s life priorities. To conclude, the chapters included in the proposed edited book aim at bringing to the fore new theoretical developments and research on QoL, SWB, and positive psychology that bridges previously distinct theoretical traditions. The proposed book covers a broad range of topics, addresses different theoretical interests and paves the way for a more integrative approach. Finally, it brings together an international set of authors, from USA, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Different cultures experience happiness differently. Traditionally, the West is considered materialistic, and happiness is said to come from achievement and acquisition. The East is said to be more people-oriented, where happiness is a result of deep personal interactions. Thus, poor people can be happier in the East than the West, because they are not so concerned with possession and more with society. This book considers happiness and quality of life in non-Western countries and cultures. Its coverage is diverse and spans the breadth of the non-Western world, revealing unique perspectives of happiness and life quality embedded in rich cultural traditions and histories.

The Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Clinical Psychology Practice will equip clinical psychologists in training with the skills necessary to complete a clinical placement in the field of intellectual disability. Building on the success of the previous edition this handbook has been extensively revised. Throughout, the text, references, and website addresses and have been updated to reflect important developments since the publication the first edition. Recent research findings on the epidemiology, aetiology, course, outcome, assessment and treatment of all psychological problems considered in the book have been incorporated into the text. Account has been taken of changes in the diagnosis and classification of intellectual disability and psychological problems reflected in the AAIDD-11 and the DSM-5. New chapters on the assessment of adaptive behaviour and support needs, person-centred active support, and the assessment of dementia in people with intellectual disability have been added. The book is divided into eight sections: Section 1: Covers general conceptual frameworks for practice - diagnosis, classification, epidemiology and lifespan development. Section 2: Focuses on assessment of intelligence, adaptive behaviour, support needs, quality of life, and the processes of interviewing and report writing. Section 3: Covers intervention frameworks, specifically active support, applied behavioural analysis and cognitive behaviour therapy. Section 4: Deals with supporting families of children with intellectual disability, genetic syndromes and autism spectrum disorders. Section 5: Covers issues associated with intellectual disability first evident or prevalent in middle childhood. Section 6: Deals with adolescent concerns including life skills training, relationships and sexuality. Section 7: Focuses on residential, vocational and family-related challenges of adulthood and aging. Section 8: Deals with professional issues and risk assessment. Chapters cover theoretical and empirical issues on the one hand and practice issues on the other. They close with summaries and suggestions for further reading for practitioners and families containing a member with an intellectual disability. Where appropriate, in many chapters, practice exercises to aid skills development have been included. The second edition of the Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Clinical Psychology Practice is one of a set of three volumes which cover the lion’s share of the curriculum for clinical psychologists in training in the UK and Ireland. The other two volumes are the Handbook of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology, Third Edition (by Alan Carr) and the Handbook of Adult Clinical Psychology Practice, Second Edition (edited by Alan Carr & Muireann McNulty).

International Review of Research in Mental Retardation is an ongoing scholarly look at research into the causes, effects, classification systems, syndromes, etc. of mental retardation. Contributors come from wide-ranging perspectives, including genetics, psychology, education, and other health and behavioral sciences.

The landmark International Handbook of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities presents, explains, and illustrates key methods of research and evaluation of proven relevance and value to the field of intellectual disabilities. It features sections on the concepts and theoretical models underlying research and evaluation, the methods and techniques themselves, and the key application areas where the methods are demonstrated in action. Coverage includes applications in educational, social, family, health, and employment aspects of care and provision for those with intellectual disabilities.