IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/socpsy/v69y2023i1p5-13.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cultural idioms of distress among displaced populations: A scoping review

Author

Listed:
  • Flora Cohen

Abstract

Background: Armed conflicts and natural disasters can cause significant psychological and social challenges for affected populations. Displaced populations are extremely heterogeneous in terms of culture, language, and experiences of crises. Current diagnostic criteria is insufficient when evaluating the symptoms and treatment of mental health issues across contexts. Aim: This scoping review presents information about cultural idioms of distress across displaced populations. The review includes aspects of etiology, symptomology, and proposed intervention methods. Methods: I conducted a Boolean search of academic and grey literature for studies that described cultural idioms of distress among displaced populations. Results were analyzed using thematic analysis and grounded theory. Results: A shared sense of injustice, spirit possession, and karma are common etiologies for mental distress among displaced populations. Symptoms include somatic complaints, ‘thinking a lot’, and interpersonal challenges such as social isolation and a fear of others. Potential interventions are likely on a community-level, including the generation of community mechanisms for conflict-resolution, reconciliation, and culturally grounded healing rituals. Conclusions: It is vital to understand the ways displaced communities conceptualize their mental health in order to develop appropriate culturally grounded interventions. Understanding the etiology, symptoms, and proposed interventions can inform and improve humanitarian aid delivery of mental health and psychosocial support services.

Suggested Citation

  • Flora Cohen, 2023. "Cultural idioms of distress among displaced populations: A scoping review," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 69(1), pages 5-13, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:69:y:2023:i:1:p:5-13
    DOI: 10.1177/00207640221114742
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00207640221114742
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/00207640221114742?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pedersen, Duncan & Tremblay, Jacques & Errázuriz, Consuelo & Gamarra, Jeffrey, 2008. "The sequelae of political violence: Assessing trauma, suffering and dislocation in the Peruvian highlands," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 205-217, July.
    2. Ahmed M Sewilam & Annie MM Watson & Ahmed M Kassem & Sue Clifton & Margaret C McDonald & Rebecca Lipski & Smita Deshpande & Hader Mansour & Vishwajit L Nimgaonkar, 2015. "Suggested avenues to reduce the stigma of mental illness in the Middle East," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 61(2), pages 111-120, March.
    3. Panter-Brick, Catherine, 2010. "Conflict, violence, and health: Setting a new interdisciplinary agenda," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 1-6, January.
    4. Singh, Namrita S. & Bass, Judith & Sumbadze, Nana & Rebok, George & Perrin, Paul & Paichadze, Nino & Robinson, W. Courtland, 2018. "Identifying mental health problems and Idioms of distress among older adult internally displaced persons in Georgia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 39-47.
    5. David Moher & Alessandro Liberati & Jennifer Tetzlaff & Douglas G Altman & The PRISMA Group, 2009. "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(7), pages 1-6, July.
    6. Bracken, Patrick J. & Giller, Joan E. & Summerfield, Derek, 1995. "Psychological responses to war and atrocity: The limitations of current concepts," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 40(8), pages 1073-1082, April.
    7. Alessandro Liberati & Douglas G Altman & Jennifer Tetzlaff & Cynthia Mulrow & Peter C Gøtzsche & John P A Ioannidis & Mike Clarke & P J Devereaux & Jos Kleijnen & David Moher, 2009. "The PRISMA Statement for Reporting Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Studies That Evaluate Health Care Interventions: Explanation and Elaboration," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(7), pages 1-28, July.
    8. Rees, Susan & Silove, Derrick, 2011. "Sakit Hati: A state of chronic mental distress related to resentment and anger amongst West Papuan refugees exposed to persecution," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(1), pages 103-110, July.
    9. Kate Pincock & Alexander Betts & Evan Easton-Calabria, 2021. "The Rhetoric and Reality of Localisation: Refugee-Led Organisations in Humanitarian Governance," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(5), pages 719-734, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Barber, Brian K. & McNeely, Clea & Olsen, Joseph A. & Belli, Robert F. & Doty, Samuel Benjamin, 2016. "Long-term exposure to political violence: The particular injury of persistent humiliation," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 154-166.
    2. Alessandro Concari & Gerjo Kok & Pim Martens, 2020. "A Systematic Literature Review of Concepts and Factors Related to Pro-Environmental Consumer Behaviour in Relation to Waste Management Through an Interdisciplinary Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-50, May.
    3. Giuseppe La Torre & Remigio Bova & Rosario Andrea Cocchiara & Cristina Sestili & Anna Tagliaferri & Simona Maggiacomo & Camilla Foschi & William Zomparelli & Maria Vittoria Manai & David Shaholli & Va, 2023. "What Are the Determinants of the Quality of Systematic Reviews in the International Journals of Occupational Medicine? A Methodological Study Review of Published Literature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-12, January.
    4. Frank Peinemann & Ulrich Grouven & Nicolaus Kröger & Carmen Bartel & Max H Pittler & Stefan Lange, 2011. "First-Line Matched Related Donor Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Compared to Immunosuppressive Therapy in Acquired Severe Aplastic Anemia," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(4), pages 1-16, April.
    5. Jonathan Kingsley & Aisling Bailey & Nooshin Torabi & Pauline Zardo & Suzanne Mavoa & Tonia Gray & Danielle Tracey & Philip Pettitt & Nicholas Zajac & Emily Foenander, 2019. "A Systematic Review Protocol Investigating Community Gardening Impact Measures," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-12, September.
    6. Rasmussen, Andrew & Keatley, Eva & Joscelyne, Amy, 2014. "Posttraumatic stress in emergency settings outside North America and Europe: A review of the emic literature," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 44-54.
    7. Eggerman, Mark & Panter-Brick, Catherine, 2010. "Suffering, hope, and entrapment: Resilience and cultural values in Afghanistan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(1), pages 71-83, July.
    8. S. Rajsic & H. Gothe & H. H. Borba & G. Sroczynski & J. Vujicic & T. Toell & Uwe Siebert, 2019. "Economic burden of stroke: a systematic review on post-stroke care," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 20(1), pages 107-134, February.
    9. Sibonokuhle Ndlovu, 2023. "Preparedness and Response to COVID-19 Disruptions and Learning Challenges for Students with Disabilities in South Africa: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-17, January.
    10. Abbas Mardani & Dalia Streimikiene & Edmundas Kazimieras Zavadskas & Fausto Cavallaro & Mehrbakhsh Nilashi & Ahmad Jusoh & Habib Zare, 2017. "Application of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to Solve Environmental Sustainability Problems: A Comprehensive Review and Meta-Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-65, October.
    11. Luísa Bandeira Lopes & João Albernaz Neves & João Botelho & Vanessa Machado & José João Mendes, 2021. "Regenerative Endodontic Procedures: An Umbrella Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-17, January.
    12. Gaspar, Rui & Yan, Zheng & Domingos, Samuel, 2019. "Extreme natural and man-made events and human adaptive responses mediated by information and communication technologies' use: A systematic literature review," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 125-135.
    13. Nicholas A. Kirk & Nicholas A. Cradock-Henry, 2022. "Land Management Change as Adaptation to Climate and Other Stressors: A Systematic Review of Decision Contexts Using Values-Rules-Knowledge," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-23, May.
    14. Timothy Noblet & John Marriott & Emma Graham-Clarke & Debra Shirley & Alison Rushton, 2018. "Clinical and cost-effectiveness of non-medical prescribing: A systematic review of randomised controlled trials," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(3), pages 1-15, March.
    15. Abbas Mardani & Mehrbakhsh Nilashi & Jurgita Antucheviciene & Madjid Tavana & Romualdas Bausys & Othman Ibrahim, 2017. "Recent Fuzzy Generalisations of Rough Sets Theory: A Systematic Review and Methodological Critique of the Literature," Complexity, Hindawi, vol. 2017, pages 1-33, October.
    16. Wen-Hsiu Yeh & Ya-Ju Ju & Yu-Ting Liu & Ting-Yi Wang, 2022. "Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Effects of Neurofeedback Training of Theta Activity on Working Memory and Episodic Memory in Healthy Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-14, September.
    17. Gourzoulidis, George & Kourlaba, Georgia & Stafylas, Panagiotis & Giamouzis, Gregory & Parissis, John & Maniadakis, Nikolaos, 2017. "Association between copayment, medication adherence and outcomes in the management of patients with diabetes and heart failure," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(4), pages 363-377.
    18. Cristina Chifor & Iulia D. Arion & Vlad I. Isarie & Felix H. Arion, 2022. "A Systematic Literature Review on European Food Quality Schemes in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-16, December.
    19. Snyder, Hannah, 2019. "Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 333-339.
    20. Pineros-Leano, María & Parchment, Tyrone M. & Calvo, Rocío, 2023. "Family interventions to improve mental, emotional, and behavioral health outcomes among Latinx youth: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:69:y:2023:i:1:p:5-13. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.