Padmavati R, Thara R, Corin Ellen
Schizophrenia Research Foundation, Chennai, India.
Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2005 Jun;51(2):139-49. doi: 10.1177/0020764005056761.
Socio-cultural explanatory factors for mental health problems determine help seeking behaviors. The study aimed to understand the reasons mentally ill patients and their families in India choose to seek help from a religious site.
Persons with mental illness and their families were interviewed at religious sites using a guideline questionnaire. Issues such as significant life events, explanations for perceived abnormal behavior and reasons for choosing a specific religious site for 'treatment' were explored.
Seeking religious help for mental disorders is often a first step in the management of mental disorders as a result of cultural explanations for the illness. This behavior also has social sanctions.
心理健康问题的社会文化解释因素决定了求助行为。本研究旨在了解印度精神病患者及其家属选择在宗教场所寻求帮助的原因。
使用一份指导性问卷，在宗教场所对精神病患者及其家属进行访谈。探讨了重大生活事件、对感知到的异常行为的解释以及选择特定宗教场所进行“治疗”的原因等问题。
由于对疾病的文化解释，为精神障碍寻求宗教帮助往往是精神障碍管理的第一步。这种行为也受到社会制裁。
