A history of cross-cultural clinical psychology, and its importance to mental health today

Abstract

In American Samoa, a person may be said to be suffering from ma'ipopole or worry sickness if he/she becomes involved in a conflict that seems intractable to solution or, conversely, becomes very happy about an impending event. This worry sickness, which can take many forms, reflects the deep social interrelatedness of Samoan culture (Clement 1982).