South African traditional healers’ approaches to mental illness

Conceptualisation, diagnosis, and treatment: A scoping review

Dados Bibliográficos

ID22256782
AutoresDaniel Lesiba Letsoalo (0000-0001-7793-7801, University of South Africa, autor correspondente)
Ano2026
Volume7
Fascículo1
Páginas182
Data de publicação2026-02-27
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoE-Journal of Humanities Arts and Social Sciences (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2720-7722 • E-ISSN: 2720-7722
EditoraNoyam Publishers (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.38159/ehass.20267114
OpenAlexW7133312611
IdiomaEN
Referências citadas40

Nearly 80% of Black South Africans consult traditional healers, mainly for mental illness. Geographical accessibility and cultural compatibility are the main reasons for this trend. Consolidation of research on traditional healers’ approaches to mental illness in South Africa is lacking. This review aimed to systematically map existing literature on traditional healers’ approaches to mental illness in South Africa between the years 2004 and 2024. The review used Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Selected databases, namely Academic Search Ultimate, APA PsycInfo, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Global Health, MEDLINE, and APA PsycArticles, were searched to identify relevant studies. To cross-reference the identified studies, manual searches on Google and Google Scholar were performed. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that the conceptualisation of mental illness by traditional healers encompassed three broad domains: the supernatural and spiritual, the biological and psychological, and the physical and environmental. Traditional healers commonly used divination bones and ancestral consultation for diagnosis. The preferred treatment was medicinal concoctions. However, additional research is necessary to determine the effectiveness of traditional healing treatments. The study contributes to the discourse on how traditional healers in South Africa approach mental illness. Mapping existing research and perspectives systematically provides insights that could help policymakers, healthcare professionals, and researchers shape the formal integration of traditional healing into mental healthcare. Furthermore, the results could aid in promoting collaboration between traditional and biomedical healing systems, thereby fostering more inclusive and culturally sensitive mental health services

Alternative medicine · CINAHL · Divination · Mental health · Mental illness · Qualitative research · Thematic analysis · Traditional knowledge · Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies · Ethnobotanical and Medicinal Plants Studies · Mental Health Treatment and Access