A truly global organization, the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) has more than 250,000 psychiatrist members from 121 countries. WPA members can also belong to one or more of over 70 scientific sections, including its section on transcultural psychiatry.

The WPA’s definition of transcultural psychiatry draws upon traditions in the field that date back to Eric Wittkower’s work in the 1960s and Emil Kraepelin’s work around the turn of the 20th century. In 1982, the founder of the WPA section on transcultural psychiatry placed transcultural psychiatry at the intersection of mental disorders and the psychological qualities that “differentiate nations, peoples, or cultures.”

Going further, the WPA examines the different forms that transcultural psychiatric study can take. Researchers can explore the different ways that mental illness can manifest in different cultures, or they can investigate specific cultural factors that impact mental health. Furthermore, transcultural psychiatry researchers can compare and contrast various attitudes about and various treatment methods for mental illnesses and people who are mentally ill in various cultures.