During the past two decades the Department of Comparative Human Development has emerged as an internationally renowned and leading center for training and research on the cultural psychology of mental health and suffering. The NIMH training program in Culture and Mental Health Behavior (now in its 16th year) has been a centerpiece of efforts to promote mental health-relevant cultural research and culturally relevant mental health research. 

The program has two primary aims: 1) to train students who show special promise of contributing in their research and applied careers to understanding sociocultural and environmental predictors of mental health behavior and illness, and 2) to further the growth of the mental health sciences through interdisciplinary training in cultural psychology. 

The theoretical rationale for the program grows out of the emerging interface between cultural psychology and clinically relevant anthropological research in understanding environmental contexts of well being, suffering, and healing. The program, which consists of both predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows, trains students in the theory, methods, data collection, and analyses necessary to conduct research on similarities and differences in psychological functioning (whether it be emotional, motivational, moral, or cognitive functioning) across culturally diverse populations and ethnic communities.  

Predoctoral fellowships are awarded to selected graduate students in the Department of Comparative Human Development.  Postdoctoral fellowship are nationally advertised when they come available.  Anyone interested in the program should contact the Program Director, Richard A. Shweder at rshd@uchicago.edu.