Cultural attribution of mental health suffering in Chinese societies: the views of Chinese patients with mental illness and their caregivers

The findings of the present study suggest that Chinese people's well-being is significantly determined by a harmonious relationship with others in the social and cultural context. Psychotherapy emphasizing an individual's growth and autonomy may ignore the importance of maintaining interpersonal harmony in Chinese culture. The results of this study contribute to the essential knowledge about culturally sensitive nursing practices. An understanding of patient suffering that is shaped by traditional cultural values helps nurses communicate empathy in a culturally sensitive manner to facilitate the therapeutic relationship and clinical outcomes.