ATTITUDES TOWARD MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOTHERAPY IN A COLLECTIVISTIC MUSLIM CULTURE: VARIATIONS BY GENDER, AGE, EDUCATION, MARRIAGE, PROFESSION, AND INCOME
Keywords:
Attitudes, Mental Health, Seeking Psychological Help, Psychotherapy
Abstract
Abstract: In some cultures, psychological problems and treatment are mostly not considered as important as medical illnesses. This is generally because of people's attitudes toward mental disorders and psychotherapeutic interventions. The current study involved 2702 Muslims from Pakistan. The study measured attitudes towards mental health through different dimensions. These mainly included attitudes toward mental health, attitudes towards mental disorders, attitudes towards medical illnesses, attitudes towards mentally disturbed, attitudes towards seeking psychological help for self, attitudes towards seeking psychological help for families, attitudes towards seeking psychological help for children, and attitudes towards seeking psychological help for friends. The understudied population had positive attitudes toward mental health and psychotherapy. A significant difference was found between people's attitudes towards medical illnesses and mental disorders. Attitudes based on gender, age, education, marriage, profession, and income were also significantly different. The findings of this study lead mental health practitioners and policymakers to modify their strategies for encouraging more clientele to the existing mental health facilities.
References
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30. Fernando SM, Deane FP, McLeod HJ. Sri Lankan doctors’ and medical undergraduates’ attitudes towards mental illness. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2010;45(7):733-739. doi:10.1007/s00127-009-0113-6
31. Ross CA, Goldner EM. Stigma, negative attitudes and discrimination towards mental illness within the nursing profession: A review of the literature. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2009;16(6):558-567. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2850.2009.01399.x
32. Ogunsemi OO, Odusan OO, Olatawura MO. Stigmatising attitude of medical students towards a psychiatry label. Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2008;7(1):15. doi:10.1186/1744-859X-7-15
33. Eisenhauer J. A Visual Culture of Stigma: Critically Examining Representations of Mental Illness. Art Educ. 2008;61(5):13-18. doi:10.1080/00043125.2008.11518991
34. Thornicroft G. Most people with mental illness are not treated. Lancet. 2007;370(9590):807-808. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61392-0
35. Andrews G, Issakidis C, Carter G. Shortfall in mental health service utilisation. Br J Psychiatry. 2001;179(NOV.):417-425. doi:10.1192/bjp.179.5.417
36. Galdas PM, Cheater F, Marshall P. Men and health help-seeking behaviour: Literature review. J Adv Nurs. 2005;49(6):616-623. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2004.03331.x
37. Chang T, Subramaniam PR. Asian and Pacific Islander American men’s help-seeking: Cultural values and beliefs, gender roles, and racial stereotypes. Int J Mens Health. 2008;7(2):121-136. doi:10.3149/jmh.0702.121
38. Gloria AM, Castellanos J, Park YS, Kim D. Adherence to Asian cultural values and cultural fit in Korean American undergraduates’ help-seeking attitudes. J Couns Dev. 2008;86(4):419-428. doi:10.1002/j.1556-6678.2008.tb00530.x
39. Parslow RA, Jorm AF. Who Uses Mental Health Services in Australia? An Analysis of Data from the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Aust New Zeal J Psychiatry. 2000;34(6):997-1008. doi:10.1080/000486700276
40. Cepeda-Benito A, Short P. Self-Concealment, Avoidance of Psychological Services, and Perceived Likelihood of Seeking Professional Help. J Couns Psychol. 1998;45(1):58-64. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.45.1.58
41. Wilson CJ, Deane FP, Ciarrochi J. Can hopelessness and adolescents’ beliefs and attitudes about seeking help account for help negation? J Clin Psychol. 2005;61(12):1525-1539. doi:10.1002/jclp.20206
42. Nguyen QCX, Anderson LP. Vietnamese Americans’ attitudes toward seeking mental health services: Relation to cultural variables. J Community Psychol. 2005;33(2):213-231. doi:10.1002/jcop.20039
43. Yoo S-K, Goh M, Yoon E. Psychological and Cultural Influences on Koreans’ Help-Seeking Attitudes. J Ment Heal Couns. 2005;27(3):266-281. doi:10.17744/mehc.27.3.9kh5v6rec36egxlv
2. Ajzen I. From Intentions to Actions: A Theory of Planned Behavior. In: Kuhl J, Beckmann J, eds. Action Control. Springer Berlin Heidelberg; 1985:11-39. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-69746-3_2
3. Rickwood D, Deane FP, Wilson CJ, Ciarrochi J. Young people’s help-seeking for mental health problems. Aust e-Journal Adv Ment Heal. 2005;4(3):218-251. doi:10.5172/jamh.4.3.218
4. Vogel DL, Wester SR, Wei M, Boysen GA. The role of outcome expectations and attitudes on decisions to seek professional help. J Couns Psychol. 2005;52(4):459-470. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.52.4.459
5. Vogel DL, Wester SR, Larson LM. Avoidance of counseling: Psychological factors that inhibit seeking help. J Couns Dev. 2007;85(4):410-422. doi:10.1002/j.1556-6678.2007.tb00609.x
6. Jorm AF, Wright A. Beliefs of young people and their parents about the effectiveness of interventions for mental disorders. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2007;41(8):656-666. doi:10.1080/00048670701449179
7. Kirmayer LJ, Looper KJ. Abnormal illness behaviour: Physiological, psychological and social dimensions of coping with distress. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2006;19(1):54-60. doi:10.1097/01.yco.0000194810.76096.f2
8. Husain W, Faize FA. Public awareness of psychological problems in Pakistan. Ment Heal Rev J. 2020;25(1):35-45. doi:10.1108/MHRJ-09-2019-0033
9. Husain W. Prevalent Tendencies for Mental Disorders in Pakistan. Clínica y Salud. 2018;29(1):34-38. doi:10.5093/clysa2018a6
10. Husain W, Gulzar A, Tofail S. How Pakistanis Cope with Stress ? Pakistan Perspect. 2016;21(2):189-206. https://search.proquest.com/openview/4ca3dd3e4deed16efacad042d425846b/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=616532
11. Husain W. Barriers in Seeking Psychological Help: Public Perception in Pakistan. Community Ment Health J. 2020;56(1):75-78. doi:10.1007/s10597-019-00464-y
12. Zafar SN, Syed R, Tehseen S, Gowani SA, Waqar S, Zubai A. Perceptions about the cause of schizophrenia and the subsequent help seeking behavior in a Pakistani population – results of a cross-sectional survey. BMC Psychiatry. 2008;8:56.
13. Al-Mateen CS, Afzal A. The Muslim child, adolescent, and family. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2004;13(1):183-200. doi:10.1016/S1056-4993(03)00071-3
14. Kapadia D, Brooks HL, Nazroo J, Tranmer M. Pakistani women’s use of mental health services and the role of social networks: a systematic review of quantitative and qualitative research. Health Soc Care Community. 2017;25(4):1304-1317.
15. Tabassum R, Macaskill A, Ahmad I. Attitudes towards mental health in an urban Pakistani community in the United Kingdom. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2000;46(3):170-181.
16. Alonso J, Buron A, Bruffaerts R, et al. Association of perceived stigma and mood and anxiety disorders: Results from the World Mental Health Surveys. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2008;118(4):305-314. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01241.x
17. Huang SL, Spurgeon A. The mental health of Chinese immigrants in Birmingham, UK. Ethn Heal. 2006;11(4):365-387. doi:10.1080/13557850600824161
18. Spencer MS, Chen J. Effect of Discrimination on Mental Health Service Utilization among Chinese Americans. Am J Public Health. 2004;94(5):809-814. doi:10.2105/AJPH.94.5.809
19. Padmavati R, Thara R, Corin E. A qualitative study of religious practices by chronic mentally ill and their caregivers in South India. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2005;51(2):139-149. doi:10.1177/0020764005056761
20. Khandelwal SK, Jhingan HP, Ramesh S, Gupta RK, Srivastava VK. India mental health country profile. Int Rev Psychiatry. 2004;16(1-2):126-141. doi:10.1080/09540260310001635177
21. Abu-Ras W, Gheith A, Cournos F. The imam’s role in mental health promotion: A study at 22 Mosques in New York City’s Muslim community. J Muslim Ment Health. 2008;3(2):155-176. doi:10.1080/15564900802487576
22. Abu-Ras W, Abu-Bader SH. The impact of the september 11, 2001, attacks on the well-being of Arab Americans in New York City. J Muslim Ment Health. 2008;3(2):217-239. doi:10.1080/15564900802487634
23. Simich L, Maiter S, Moorlag E, Ochocka J. Taking culture seriously: Ethnolinguistic community perspectives on mental health. Psychiatr Rehabil J. 2009;32(3):208-214. doi:10.2975/32.3.2009.208.214
24. Thornicroft G, Brohan E, Rose D, Sartorius N, Leese M. Global pattern of experienced and anticipated discrimination against people with schizophrenia: a cross-sectional survey. Lancet. 2009;373(9661):408-415. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61817-6
25. Lauber C, Ajdacic-Gross V, Fritschi N, Stulz N, Rössler W. Mental health literacy in an educational elite - An online survey among university students. BMC Public Health. 2005;5(1):44. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-5-44
26. Wahl OF, Roth R. Television images of mental illness: Results of a metropolitan Washington media watch. J Broadcast. 1982;26(2):599-605. doi:10.1080/08838158209364028
27. Angermeyer MC, Dietrich S. Public beliefs about and attitudes towards people with mental illness: A review of population studies. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2006;113(3):163-179. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.2005.00699.x
28. Alexander LA, Link BG. The impact of contact on stigmatizing attitudes toward people with mental illness. J Ment Heal. 2003;12(3):271-289. doi:10.1080/0963823031000118267
29. Sartorius N. Iatrogenic stigma of mental illness. Br Med J. 2002;324(7352):1470-1471. doi:10.1136/bmj.324.7352.1470
30. Fernando SM, Deane FP, McLeod HJ. Sri Lankan doctors’ and medical undergraduates’ attitudes towards mental illness. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2010;45(7):733-739. doi:10.1007/s00127-009-0113-6
31. Ross CA, Goldner EM. Stigma, negative attitudes and discrimination towards mental illness within the nursing profession: A review of the literature. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2009;16(6):558-567. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2850.2009.01399.x
32. Ogunsemi OO, Odusan OO, Olatawura MO. Stigmatising attitude of medical students towards a psychiatry label. Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2008;7(1):15. doi:10.1186/1744-859X-7-15
33. Eisenhauer J. A Visual Culture of Stigma: Critically Examining Representations of Mental Illness. Art Educ. 2008;61(5):13-18. doi:10.1080/00043125.2008.11518991
34. Thornicroft G. Most people with mental illness are not treated. Lancet. 2007;370(9590):807-808. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61392-0
35. Andrews G, Issakidis C, Carter G. Shortfall in mental health service utilisation. Br J Psychiatry. 2001;179(NOV.):417-425. doi:10.1192/bjp.179.5.417
36. Galdas PM, Cheater F, Marshall P. Men and health help-seeking behaviour: Literature review. J Adv Nurs. 2005;49(6):616-623. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2004.03331.x
37. Chang T, Subramaniam PR. Asian and Pacific Islander American men’s help-seeking: Cultural values and beliefs, gender roles, and racial stereotypes. Int J Mens Health. 2008;7(2):121-136. doi:10.3149/jmh.0702.121
38. Gloria AM, Castellanos J, Park YS, Kim D. Adherence to Asian cultural values and cultural fit in Korean American undergraduates’ help-seeking attitudes. J Couns Dev. 2008;86(4):419-428. doi:10.1002/j.1556-6678.2008.tb00530.x
39. Parslow RA, Jorm AF. Who Uses Mental Health Services in Australia? An Analysis of Data from the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Aust New Zeal J Psychiatry. 2000;34(6):997-1008. doi:10.1080/000486700276
40. Cepeda-Benito A, Short P. Self-Concealment, Avoidance of Psychological Services, and Perceived Likelihood of Seeking Professional Help. J Couns Psychol. 1998;45(1):58-64. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.45.1.58
41. Wilson CJ, Deane FP, Ciarrochi J. Can hopelessness and adolescents’ beliefs and attitudes about seeking help account for help negation? J Clin Psychol. 2005;61(12):1525-1539. doi:10.1002/jclp.20206
42. Nguyen QCX, Anderson LP. Vietnamese Americans’ attitudes toward seeking mental health services: Relation to cultural variables. J Community Psychol. 2005;33(2):213-231. doi:10.1002/jcop.20039
43. Yoo S-K, Goh M, Yoon E. Psychological and Cultural Influences on Koreans’ Help-Seeking Attitudes. J Ment Heal Couns. 2005;27(3):266-281. doi:10.17744/mehc.27.3.9kh5v6rec36egxlv
Published
2022-09-28
How to Cite
Husain, W., & Riasat, A. (2022). ATTITUDES TOWARD MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOTHERAPY IN A COLLECTIVISTIC MUSLIM CULTURE: VARIATIONS BY GENDER, AGE, EDUCATION, MARRIAGE, PROFESSION, AND INCOME. Journal of Internal Medicine: Science & Art, 3(1), 28 - 35. https://doi.org/10.36013/jimsa.v3i1.101
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