Transcultural social psychiatric treatment. Case report of a suicide attempt
Author: Zinck H
Source:
Psychiatr-Prax. 1984 Jan; 11(1): 20-5
This article reports on the treatment of a young Moroccan woman in a psychiatric department located near the patient's domicile. This woman suffered under the mental stress imposed by an unwanted pregnancy leading to a severe mental and social conflict with the traditional cultural values and standards upheld by her family and troubling her conscience. The aetiology is discussed on the basis of the hypothesis that the conflict of loyalties of immigrants between traditional cultural standards and those of their present country of residence can develop into a cultural intrafamilial conflict in the minds of the younger, second generation. The article concludes with suggestions to achieve therapeutic orientation aids in the treatment of patients who have their roots in countries with an entirely different pattern of culture. Two suggestions are underlined: on the one hand, to enlist the help of a person from the same country of origin as the patient, who will be able to aid the therapist with relevant information; and, on the other hand, to include the family of the patient in the overall treatment concept.