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Explanations of Mental Health Symptoms By the Bedouin-Arabs of the Negev

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  • Alean Al-Krenawi

Abstract

Sixty Bedouin-Arab patients (36 females, 24 males) referred to the psychiatric clinic of the Soroka Medical Centre in the Negev, Israel were interviewed before they met with the psychiatrists and again two weeks later. An open-ended questionnaire was administered during three month period, to examine the patients' explanations of their mental health symptoms. Findings revealed that all patients, male and female alike, perceived and explained their symptoms as being caused by supernatural powers. There were gender differences, however, regarding the perceived nature of, and behaviour of, these supernatural powers. Males explained their symptoms as caused by God's will, whether directly through Him, or indirectly through evil-spirits. In both instances, human behaviour was not a primary concern. In contrast, 97% of the female patients explained their symptoms as a result of sorcery, a phenomenon which integrates human behaviour with supernatural powers. Cultural and language differences between the patients and psychiatrists were also found to cause miscommunications and inappropriate treatment, with the result that 50% of the sample terminated psychiatric treatment after two sessions.

Suggested Citation

  • Alean Al-Krenawi, 1999. "Explanations of Mental Health Symptoms By the Bedouin-Arabs of the Negev," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 45(1), pages 56-64, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:45:y:1999:i:1:p:56-64
    DOI: 10.1177/002076409904500107
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alean Al-Krenawi & John R. Graham & Menachim Ophir & Jamil Kandah, 2001. "Ethnic and Gender Differences in Mental Health Utilization: the Case of Muslim Jordanian and Moroccan Jewish Israeli Out-Patient Psychiatric Patients," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 47(3), pages 42-54, September.
    2. Tarek Assad & Tarek Okasha & Hisham Ramy & Tamer Goueli & Hanan El-Shinnawy & Mohamed Nasr & Heba Fathy & Dalia Enaba & Dina Ibrahim & Mahmoud Elhabiby & Nesreen Mohsen & Sherien Khalil & Mohamed Fekr, 2015. "Role of traditional healers in the pathway to care of patients with bipolar disorder in Egypt," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 61(6), pages 583-590, September.
    3. Sarah Abu-Kaf & Ora Nakash & Tsahi Hayat & Michal Cohen, 2022. "Social Support and Psychological Distress among the Bedouin Arab Elderly in Israel: The Moderating Role of Gender," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-10, April.
    4. Alejandra Caqueo-Urízar & Joshua Breslau & Stephen E Gilman, 2015. "Beliefs about the causes of schizophrenia among Aymara and non-Aymara patients and their primary caregivers in the Central–Southern Andes," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 61(1), pages 82-91, February.
    5. Robin E Gearing & Craig S Schwalbe & Michael J MacKenzie & Kathryne B Brewer & Rawan W Ibrahim & Hmoud S Olimat & Sahar S Al-Makhamreh & Irfan Mian & Alean Al-Krenawi, 2013. "Adaptation and translation of mental health interventions in Middle Eastern Arab countries: A systematic review of barriers to and strategies for effective treatment implementation," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 59(7), pages 671-681, November.
    6. Steven Klimidis & Fei-Hsiu Hsiao & Iraklis Harry Minas, 2007. "Chinese-Australians' Knowledge of Depression and Schizophrenia in the Context of Their Under-Utilization of Mental Health Care: an Analysis of Labelling," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 53(5), pages 464-479, September.
    7. Monica Zolezzi & Maha Alamri & Shahd Shaar & Daniel Rainkie, 2018. "Stigma associated with mental illness and its treatment in the Arab culture: A systematic review," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 64(6), pages 597-609, September.

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