Lauren MPH
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States
Brandon PhD
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States
Keywords:
religion, psychotherapy, spirituality, traditional healer, mental health
Abstract
Introduction:
Despite extensive ethnographic and qualitative research on traditional healers in Nepal, the role of traditional healers in relation to mental health has not been synthesized.
Methods:
We focused on the following clinically based research question, “What are the processes by which Nepali traditional healers address mental well-being?” We adopted a scoping review methodology to maximize the available literature base and conducted a modified thematic analysis rooted in grounded theory, ethnography, and phenomenology. We searched five databases using terms related to traditional healers and mental health. We contacted key authors and reviewed references for additional literature.
Results:
Our scoping review yielded 86 eligible studies, 65 of which relied solely on classical qualitative study designs. The reviewed literature suggests that traditional healers use a wide range of interventions that utilize magico-religious explanatory models to invoke symbolic transference, manipulation of local illness narratives, roles, and relationships, cognitive restructuring, meaning-making, and catharsis.
Discussion:
Traditional healers’ perceived impact appears greatest for mild to moderate forms of psychological distress. However, the methodological and sample heterogeneity preclude uniform conclusions about traditional healing. Further research should employ methods which are both empirically sound and culturally adapted to explore the role of traditional healers in mental health.
Keywords: religion, psychotherapy, spirituality, traditional healer, mental health
Author Biographies
Tony MSc
, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States
Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, North Carolina, United States
Bonnie MPH
, Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, North Carolina, United States
Department of Anthropology and Global Health Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States
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