Indigenous Categories of Distress and Dysfunction in South African Xhosa Children and Adolescents as Described by Indigenous Healers

Dados Bibliográficos

ID2397420
AutoresKarin Ensink (0000-0002-3351-0475), Brian Robertson
Ano1996
Volume33
Fascículo2
Páginas137-172
Data de publicação1996-06-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoTranscultural Psychiatric Research Review (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0041-1108 • E-ISSN: 0315-4386
EditoraSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/136346159603300202
OpenAlexW2020756308
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas12
Referências citadas50

There is a paucity of information on indigenous idioms and categories of distress in children and adolescents in South Af rica. Indigenous healers were asked to provide descriptions of indigenous idioms and categories of distress in children and adolescents in a predominantly Xhosa speaking community. The healers identified five indigenous categories of distress, namely ukuphaphazela, isimnyama esikolweni ukuthwasa, ukuphambana, amafufunyana. These are compared with available descriptions in the literature and differences in presentation and understanding are discussed. The study confirmed that indig enous categories of distress not only affect adults, but also children and adolescents, and that 'brain fag' also occurs in South Africa. The results of this study indicate that indigenous categories of distress such as amafufunyana, ukuthwasa and ukuphambana require an emic approach and may be best un derstood at the individual level. Etic approaches, such as inclusion in psychiatric epidemiological studies are not suit able for these categories because symptoms are not prioritized. Categories such as isimnyama esikolweni and ukuphaphazela, which are associated with more discrete symptoms, could fea sibly be included in epidemiological investigations

Distress · Emic and etic · Indigenous · Mental health · Pathology · Psychiatry · Psychological distress · Sociology · Xhosa · Anthropology · Clinical Psychology · Epidemiology · Medicine · Mental Health and Psychiatry · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Psychology · Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments