Psychiatric Nursing: Contemporary Practice 6th Edition - Cultural and Spiritual Issues Related to Mental Health Care Related

Review Psychiatric Nursing: Contemporary Practice 6th Edition - Cultural and Spiritual Issues Related to Mental Health Care related questions and content

Within the context of the culture of poverty, which of the following most clearly describes why individuals who are part of this culture become trapped in a downward economic spiral?

  • A. Unemployment causes poverty; a lack of willpower and motivation can, in turn, cause unemployment in people who do not have a strong work ethic.
  • B. Individuals lack the finances to pay rent, so they eventually do not have an address to use in filling out job applications.
  • C. Characteristics of poverty (joblessness and lack of financial independence) can, in turn, contribute to attributes (feelings of powerlessness and low self-esteem) that sustain poverty.
  • D. Poverty is passed on from generation to generation; individuals learn at an early age that there is no way to escape living in poverty.
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The culture of poverty creates a cycle where joblessness and financial dependence lead to feelings of powerlessness and low self-esteem, which in turn perpetuate poverty by reducing motivation and opportunities for economic improvement.