Amagqirha (Xhosa diviners) and the treatment of mental illness: exploring indigenous healing practices and the potential for integrating indigenous knowledge into psychology training
- Authors: Klaas, Fihliwe
- Date: 2024-12
- Subjects: Mental illness -- Treatment , Psychology -- Africa , Healers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/69860 , vital:78042
- Description: This study focuses on Amagqirha kwa Xhosa (diviners) who are traditional healers within the Xhosa community. Despite their impact and footprint in the communities, there is limited knowledge regarding their role in managing mental health illnesses, particularly the kind of techniques they employ. In light of this, the study is aimed at exploring the types of techniques and interventions utilized by Amagqirha kwa Xhosa in treating psychological problems and assessing how the knowledge can be incorporated into the training of psychologists. The study employed a qualitative approach with semi-structured one-on-one interviews, using purposive and snowballing sampling strategies. Eight traditional healers from the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality, Eastern Cape, participated in the study, and thematic data analysis was utilised to analyse the data. Two primary themes were revealed in Amagqirha’s experiences with treating mental illness, and the first set core themes are 1. Ukuxilonga (Diagnosing) and 2. Izinto ngokwa ses’Xhoseni ezenza ingulo ye ngqondo (Xhosa Realities and Causes of Mental Illnesses). The second set of core themes revealed Amagqirha’s treatment methods and interventions, and these are 1.Indlela Zokunyanga Zesintu (Tradition Methods of Healing) and 2.Impawu zoxilongo olunemiphumela zobuGqirha (Treatment efficacy in traditional healing). The findings highlight the importance of recognizing diverse knowledge systems in Mental Health care, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive approaches that respect and take into account cultural context and spirituality of the community/patients. Additionally, the study provides guidelines for mental health practitioners when dealing with clients who align with paradigms other than the Western biomedical paradigm or worldview, highlighting the importance of integrating varying paradigms in approaching mental health practice. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 2024
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2024-12
- Authors: Klaas, Fihliwe
- Date: 2024-12
- Subjects: Mental illness -- Treatment , Psychology -- Africa , Healers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/69860 , vital:78042
- Description: This study focuses on Amagqirha kwa Xhosa (diviners) who are traditional healers within the Xhosa community. Despite their impact and footprint in the communities, there is limited knowledge regarding their role in managing mental health illnesses, particularly the kind of techniques they employ. In light of this, the study is aimed at exploring the types of techniques and interventions utilized by Amagqirha kwa Xhosa in treating psychological problems and assessing how the knowledge can be incorporated into the training of psychologists. The study employed a qualitative approach with semi-structured one-on-one interviews, using purposive and snowballing sampling strategies. Eight traditional healers from the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality, Eastern Cape, participated in the study, and thematic data analysis was utilised to analyse the data. Two primary themes were revealed in Amagqirha’s experiences with treating mental illness, and the first set core themes are 1. Ukuxilonga (Diagnosing) and 2. Izinto ngokwa ses’Xhoseni ezenza ingulo ye ngqondo (Xhosa Realities and Causes of Mental Illnesses). The second set of core themes revealed Amagqirha’s treatment methods and interventions, and these are 1.Indlela Zokunyanga Zesintu (Tradition Methods of Healing) and 2.Impawu zoxilongo olunemiphumela zobuGqirha (Treatment efficacy in traditional healing). The findings highlight the importance of recognizing diverse knowledge systems in Mental Health care, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive approaches that respect and take into account cultural context and spirituality of the community/patients. Additionally, the study provides guidelines for mental health practitioners when dealing with clients who align with paradigms other than the Western biomedical paradigm or worldview, highlighting the importance of integrating varying paradigms in approaching mental health practice. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 2024
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2024-12
Extending psychological praxis within South Africa: exploring healers’ perceptions of treatment plurality
- Authors: Yew-Siong, Lauren
- Date: 2024-12
- Subjects: Traditional medicine -- South Africa , Psychology -- Africa , Clinical health psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/69771 , vital:78032
- Description: The prevailing psychological praxis in South Africa predominantly follows western paradigms for defining, classifying, and diagnosing health and illness; falling short in encompassing the diverse mental healthcare reality. Scarce resources, inadequate infrastructure, and the interplay of religio-cultural beliefs intersect, shaping how psychological disturbances are perceived and how treatment is sought- especially for patients who do not ascribe to one treatment modality, or one paradigm. Therefore, this study explored ideas and notions surrounding treatment plurality held by healers (that being psychologists, psychiatrists, and traditional healers), within the South African context. The research utilised a qualitative exploratory-descriptive research methodology with a phenomenological research design. The researcher then employed purposive and snowball sampling to recruit participants. Thereafter, the researcher conducted online semi-structured interviews, and applied Braun and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis to analyse the data. The following themes were then unpacked: 1) Healers’ perceptions of treatment plurality; 2) The need for collaboration between various disciplines; 3) Education as a key factor in pluralism; 4) Healer ethics and malpractice; 5) The lack of governmental funding and resources. The results suggest the need for a pluralistic mental healthcare approach in South Africa, bridging western and traditional practices. Yet, challenges stemming from inadequate governmental funding, resources, policies, and ethical guidelines hinder its development and implementation. Therefore, it would take more than one set of guidelines to implement pluralistic treatment within South African mental healthcare. For this purpose, the researcher decided to create a blueprint for various developments that is needed to make a pluralistic approach a reality in South Africa. These findings encouraged the researcher to develop: 1) Guidelines for the Provision of Collaborative Care in Mental Healthcare Services; 2) Guidelines for South African governmental policy that foster pluralism and collaborative care in the mental healthcare system; 3) A pluralistic medical aid scheme; 4) A module blueprint that could potentially be included in a professional master’s programme, as well as the inclusion of a theory the researcher has developed, named the Pluralism-oriented Mental Healthcare Theory. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2024-12
- Authors: Yew-Siong, Lauren
- Date: 2024-12
- Subjects: Traditional medicine -- South Africa , Psychology -- Africa , Clinical health psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/69771 , vital:78032
- Description: The prevailing psychological praxis in South Africa predominantly follows western paradigms for defining, classifying, and diagnosing health and illness; falling short in encompassing the diverse mental healthcare reality. Scarce resources, inadequate infrastructure, and the interplay of religio-cultural beliefs intersect, shaping how psychological disturbances are perceived and how treatment is sought- especially for patients who do not ascribe to one treatment modality, or one paradigm. Therefore, this study explored ideas and notions surrounding treatment plurality held by healers (that being psychologists, psychiatrists, and traditional healers), within the South African context. The research utilised a qualitative exploratory-descriptive research methodology with a phenomenological research design. The researcher then employed purposive and snowball sampling to recruit participants. Thereafter, the researcher conducted online semi-structured interviews, and applied Braun and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis to analyse the data. The following themes were then unpacked: 1) Healers’ perceptions of treatment plurality; 2) The need for collaboration between various disciplines; 3) Education as a key factor in pluralism; 4) Healer ethics and malpractice; 5) The lack of governmental funding and resources. The results suggest the need for a pluralistic mental healthcare approach in South Africa, bridging western and traditional practices. Yet, challenges stemming from inadequate governmental funding, resources, policies, and ethical guidelines hinder its development and implementation. Therefore, it would take more than one set of guidelines to implement pluralistic treatment within South African mental healthcare. For this purpose, the researcher decided to create a blueprint for various developments that is needed to make a pluralistic approach a reality in South Africa. These findings encouraged the researcher to develop: 1) Guidelines for the Provision of Collaborative Care in Mental Healthcare Services; 2) Guidelines for South African governmental policy that foster pluralism and collaborative care in the mental healthcare system; 3) A pluralistic medical aid scheme; 4) A module blueprint that could potentially be included in a professional master’s programme, as well as the inclusion of a theory the researcher has developed, named the Pluralism-oriented Mental Healthcare Theory. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2024-12
- «
- ‹
- 1
- ›
- »