Biological, psychological and environmental factors contribute to the development of psychopathology. Culture and environment factors can be the cause of it. In particular culture also influences the non-organic, functional psychopathology. That s why culture is pathoplastic. Clinicians must take this into account with regards to diagnosis, classification and treatment, in particular with patients whose culture differs from theirs. Especially then, a double approach is required. Apart from a professional biomedical approach, the patient is also entitled to an approach based on understanding ( verstehen ), tuned into his culturebound views about illness, its experience, and behaviour, and the set relationship between doctor and patient. Insufficient attention to these latter aspects, increases the likelihood that eventually treatment will fail, due to a lack of compliance from the patiënt.