Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry
Volume 42, Issue 1, 2018, Pages 69-91

Cultural Identity Among Afghan and Iraqi Traumatized Refugees: Towards a Conceptual Framework for Mental Health Care Professionals (Article) (Open Access)

Groen S.P.N.* , Richters A. , Laban C.J. , Devillé W.L.J.M.
  • a De Evenaar, North Netherlands Centre of Transcultural Psychiatry, GGZ Drenthe Mental Health Care, PO Box 30007, Assen, 9400 RA, Netherlands, Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • b Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • c De Evenaar, North Netherlands Centre of Transcultural Psychiatry, GGZ Drenthe Mental Health Care, PO Box 30007, Assen, 9400 RA, Netherlands
  • d Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, National Knowledge and Advisory Center on Migrants, Refugees and Health (Pharos), Utrecht, Netherlands, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands

Abstract

Cultural identity in relation with mental health is of growing interest in the field of transcultural psychiatry. However, there is a need to clarify the concept of cultural identity in order to make it useful in clinical practice. The purpose of this study is to unravel the complexity and many layers of cultural identity, and to assess how stress and acculturation relate to (changes in) cultural identity. As part of a larger study about cultural identity, trauma, and mental health, 85 patients from Afghanistan and Iraq in treatment for trauma-related disorders were interviewed with a Brief Cultural Interview. The interviews were analysed through qualitative data analysis using the procedures of grounded theory. The analysis resulted in three domains of cultural identity: personal identity, ethnic identity and social identity. Within each domain relationships with stress and acculturation were identified. The results offer insight into the intensity of changes in cultural identity, caused by pre-and post-migration stressors and the process of acculturation. Based on the research findings recommendations are formulated to enhance the cultural competency of mental health workers. © 2017, The Author(s).

Author Keywords

Grounded theory posttraumatic stress disorder Refugees Acculturation cultural identity

Index Keywords

Health Personnel Afghanistan depression refugee mental health service anxiety disorder health care personnel Social Identification human Refugees middle aged Iraq Aged Depressive Disorder Anxiety Disorders Mental Health Services ethnology Cross-Sectional Studies Young Adult cross-sectional study Humans psychology Adolescent male Acculturation Aged, 80 and over female very elderly cultural factor adult grounded theory posttraumatic stress disorder Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Culturally Competent Care Psychological Trauma transcultural care psychotrauma social behavior
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85009910403&doi=10.1007%2fs11013-016-9514-7&partnerID=40&md5=3e5581f78a050d41fad8511b2b92d31e
DOI: 10.1007/s11013-016-9514-7
ISSN: 0165005X
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English