Over- and undercontrolled referral problems among children and adolescents from Thailand and the United States: the wat and wai of cultural differences.

To understand children's psychological problems and corresponding clinic referral patterns, we need to consider the impact of culture. Culturally mediated values and socialization practices may suppress development of some problems and foster others. Consider Thailand, a Buddhist nation, in which children's aggression and other undercontrolled behaviors are disapproved and discouraged, whereas their inhibition and other overcontrolled behaviors may often be condoned or even encouraged. We compared Thailand to the United States, where undercontrolled behavior among children seems more likely to be condoned. We recorded the behavior problems reported by parents in both countries (N 760) when they referred their child or adolescent for clinic treatment. Overcontrolled problems (e. g., somaticizing, fearfulness, nervous movements, worrying) were reported much more often for Thai than for U.S. youngsters; undercontrolled problems (e. g., disobedience, fighting, lying, arguing) were reported much more often for U.S. youth than for Thais. Overcontrolled problems were noted especially often among Thai adolescents, the group most exposed to traditional Buddhist teaching and most encouraged to inhibit outward expression of feelings. The findings sugest that culture, developmental level, and their interplay may be linked to substantial differences in the problems for which youngsters are referred for treatment.