Initiation Rites as a Perceived Stressor for Isixhosa Males with Schizophrenia

Abstract

Although traditional initiation forms a pivotal part of Xhosa culture, it may be a stressful life event for the individual. In this study, 75 Xhosa males diagnosed with schizophrenia were interviewed to examine their perceptions of the role of initiation in the onset and course of their illness. In all, eight patients (10.7%) perceived the initiation rites as a stressful event that had triggered the onset of a psychotic episode, and six (8%) felt it precipitated a relapse. Our findings suggest that initiation rituals may be perceived as a stressful life event influencing the onset and course of schizophrenia. This underlines the importance of understanding the cultural background of patients.

Correlates of consistent condom use among recently initiated and traditionally circumcised men in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

“…The father or family members of the umkhwetha appoint the ikhankatha . Additionally, the village men, who have also undergone the same initiation processes, visit the ibhoma to monitor the healing progress of the wound, teach and prepare umkhwetha for new roles and essential responsibilities towards his family and community members [12]. The umkhwetha is transformed to be a responsible man.…”

Schizophrenia among Sesotho speakers in South Africa

“…These findings correspond with a claim by Häfner and An der Heiden 17 that schizophrenia is mainly a disease of adolescence and early adulthood, and their findings that the average age at first contact with mental health services is between 25 and 35 of age for both females and males. Similarly, Le Roux et al 18 reported that the mean age of onset of schizophrenia among Xhosa-speaking patients was 23.14, meaning that it ranges between 14 and 51 years. Male participants in the present study largely outnumbered females.…”

Physical Disability and Masculinity: Hegemony and Exclusion

“…In society, Xhosa men who have not been ritually circumcised, regardless of their age, are known as "boys". The social significance of the ulwaluko process is profound, as Nelson Mandela (1995) discusses in his autobiography, and it has been suggested that failure to perform the ritual may lead to considerable emotional distress, and possibly even psychosis, let alone the stressful consequences of the process itself for those who undergo it (Le Roux et al, 2007;Swartz, 1986Swartz, , 1987Yen & Wilbraham, 2003). Given the physical location of where the ceremonies are undertaken, and the physical privations for the process, not all men with physical disabilities can take part in the process.…”