Attacked by the gods or by mental illness? Hybridizing mental and spiritual health in Okinawa

Assessment and Comparison of Culturally Based Explanations for Mental Disorder Among Singaporean Chinese Youth

“…Much of the research based on Asian populations highlights that supernatural causation models are often salient in these populations (Gaw, 1993;Eisenbruch, 2000;Allen et al, 2004). This is in contrast to studies in Western societies that highlight the prominence of psychological or biologically based explanation (Angermeyer & Matschinger, 1999;Lauber et al, 2003).…”

“…Beginning with the seminal work of Kleinman (1980) in which he proposed the importance of understanding explanatory models used by cultures to explain disorder, a whole array of research has attempted to elicit causation models held by populations, including those in Asia, on the premise that such understanding will allow treatment to be more acceptable to patients and their communities (see Lee & Bishop, 2001;Bhui et al, 2003;Mathew, 2007). Much of the research based on Asian populations highlights that supernatural causation models are often salient in these populations (Gaw, 1993;Eisenbruch, 2000;Allen et al, 2004). This is in contrast to studies in Western societies that highlight the prominence of psychological or biologically based explanation (Angermeyer & Matschinger, 1999;Lauber et al, 2003).…”