Abstract
The biomedical model of illness categorizes depression as a clinical disorder; however, cultural or religious systems may ascribe different meanings to depression. Five clergy from the Islamic faith were interviewed to understand the influences of religious and cultural beliefs on the meanings, management, and treatment of depressive symptoms. This allowed conceptualizations from clerics own socio-cultural and religious background to emerge. The interviews were analyzed using social constructionist thematic analysis. Findings of this study indicate clergy attribute more than one meaning to the word ‘depression’, cleric’s conceptions of ‘depression’ were organized under three themes whereby each theme describes a type of depression: medical depression, spiritual depression, and unacceptable depression. Based on the cause of depression, clergy recommend different help-seeking behaviours and interventions for congregants. Cultural beliefs about witchcraft, stigma, and gendered roles also influenced meanings of depression. These beliefs resulted in clergy’s understandings of depression differing from psychiatric diagnostic criteria. Thus, this study encourages the inclusion of cultural and religious beliefs in diagnostic formulation. Culturally sensitive understandings of pathology in a clinical setting enable practitioners to offer empathy and gain insight into lay conceptions of illness. This may assist mental healthcare professionals to integrate and use religious resources for Muslim clients who require religion to be incorporated into their treatment. It may also contribute to theory-building about collaboration between mental health practitioners and religious leaders in the treatment process.
M.A. (Clinical Psychology)