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Selfhood and social distance: Toward a cultural understanding of psychiatric stigma in Egypt

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  • Coker, Elizabeth M.

Abstract

Psychiatric stigma is a concept that is often used uncritically by policy-makers to explain the underutilization of professional psychiatric services in non-Western societies. Stigma, however, is a multi-determined process manifestations and effects of which cannot be viewed separately from the larger social and cultural context. The present paper presents the results of a qualitative study of psychiatric stigma in Egypt from the perspective of lay respondents. A vignette method was used to elicit judgments of social distance and qualitative responses to stories depicting psychosis, depression, alcohol abuse and a 'possession state' from 208 respondents recruited through their places of work. The results indicated that while stigma does exist in Egypt, the form that it takes must be understood with reference to Egyptian notions of selfhood that locate behavioral disturbances in the intersubjective rather than intrapsychic realm. On the one hand, individual blame is diffused as responsibility for the illness and its cure is placed in the social, not personal (or biological) realm. On the other, behavioral disorders that threaten the social fabric of society are particularly stigmatized and often met with social rejection.

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  • Coker, Elizabeth M., 2005. "Selfhood and social distance: Toward a cultural understanding of psychiatric stigma in Egypt," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(5), pages 920-930, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:61:y:2005:i:5:p:920-930
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    Cited by:

    1. Ahmed M Sewilam & Annie MM Watson & Ahmed M Kassem & Sue Clifton & Margaret C McDonald & Rebecca Lipski & Smita Deshpande & Hader Mansour & Vishwajit L Nimgaonkar, 2015. "Suggested avenues to reduce the stigma of mental illness in the Middle East," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 61(2), pages 111-120, March.
    2. Sean B Nine & Abdul Fattah Najm & Emily B Allan & Petra C Gronholm, 2022. "Mental health stigma among community members in Afghanistan: A cross-sectional survey," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 68(7), pages 1470-1485, November.
    3. Carla Abi Doumit & Chadia Haddad & Hala Sacre & Pascale Salameh & Marwan Akel & Sahar Obeid & Maria Akiki & Elie Mattar & Najla Hilal & Souheil Hallit & Michel Soufia, 2019. "Knowledge, attitude and behaviors towards patients with mental illness: Results from a national Lebanese study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(9), pages 1-16, September.
    4. 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.
    5. Schwalbe, Craig S. & Ibrahim, Rawan W. & Brewer, Kathryne B. & MacKenzie, Michael J. & Gearing, Robin E., 2013. "Is program structure related to stigma and community acceptance of justice-involved adolescents?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 871-876.
    6. Maha Sulaiman Younis & Arjan Hidayat Anwer & Hamid Yahay Hussain, 2021. "Stigmatising attitude and reflections towards mental illness at community setting, population-based approach, Baghdad City 2020," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 67(5), pages 461-466, August.

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