Explanations of mental health symptoms by the Bedouin-Arabs of the Negev

Abstract

Sixty Bedouin-Arab patients (36 females, 24 males) referred to the psychiatric clinic of the Soroka Medical Centre in the Negev, Israel were interviewed before they met with the psychiatrists and again two weeks later. An open-ended questionnaire was administered during three month period, to examine the patients' explanations of their mental health symptoms. Findings revealed that all patients, male and female alike, perceived and explained their symptoms as being caused by supernatural powers. There were gender differences, however, regarding the perceived nature of, and behaviour of, these supernatural powers. Males explained their symptoms as caused by God's will, whether directly through Him, or indirectly through evil-spirits. In both instances, human behaviour was not a primary concern. In contrast, 97% of the female patients explained their symptoms as a result of sorcery, a phenomenon which integrates human behaviour with supernatural powers. Cultural and language differences between the patients and psychiatrists were also found to cause miscommunications and inappropriate treatment, with the result that 50% of the sample terminated psychiatric treatment after two sessions.