Abstract
A revised Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL), translated into Arabic, was distributed to a sample of 87 nonpsychotic mental health out-patients in Zarka, Jordan (male = 61, female = 26). Findings revealed no significant gendered differences, but higher responses among women in all dimensions. Regardless of gender, patients also expected and were satisfied with medicinal treatment; explained etiologies as having supernatural origins; and utilized informal community traditional healing and religious healing systems. The supernatural explanations and community healing systems varied by gender. Findings emphasize future treatment and programme development strategies that take into account the biomedical/traditional interface, culturally appropriate treatment modalities, different gendered patient needs, and the potential stigma of professional treatment.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Al-Issa, I. (1990). Culture and mental illness in Algeria. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 36(3), 230-240.
Al-Krenawi, A. (1999). Explanations of mental health symptoms by the Bedouin-Arabs of the Negev. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 45(1), 56-64.
Al-Krenawi, A. (1998). Reconciling western treatment and traditional healing: A social worker walks with the wind. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 4(3), 6-21.
Al-Krenawi, A., & Graham, J.R. (1999a). Gender and biomedical/traditional mental health utilization among the Bedouin-Arab of the Negev. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 23(2), 219-243.
Al-Krenawi, A., & Graham, J.R. (1999b). Social work and Koranic mental health healers. International Social Work, 42(1), 53-65.
Al-Krenawi, A., & Graham, J.R. (1997). Spirit possession and exorcism: The integration of modern and traditional mental health care systems in the treatment of a Bedouin patient. Clinical Social Work Journal, 25, 211-222.
Al-Krenawi, A., & Graham, J.R. (1996a). Social work and traditional healing rituals among the Bedouin of the Negev, Israel. International Social Work, 39(2), 177-188.
Al-Krenawi, A., & Graham, J.R. (1996b). Tacklingmental illness: Roles for old and new disciplines. World Health Forum, 17(3), 246-248.
Al-Krenawi, A., Graham, J., & Maoz, B. (1996). The healing significance of the Negev's Bedouin Dervish. Social Science and Medicine, 43(1), 13-21.
Al-Sabaie, A. (n.d.). Translation of Hopkins symptom checklist (HSCL) into Arabic.
Al-Sabaie, A. (1989). Psychiatry in Saudi-Arabia: Cultural perspectives. Transcultural Psychiatric Research Review, 26(4), 245-262.
Al-Sadawi, N. (1995). Gender, Islam, and Orientalism: Dissidence and creativity. Women: A Cultural Review, 6, 1-18.
Barakat, H. (1993). The Arab world. Society, culture, and state. Los Angeles: University of California Press.
Bilu, Y., & Witztum, E. (1993). Working with Ultra-Orthodox patients: Guidelines for culturally sensitive therapy. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, 17(2), 197-233.
Bleich, A., Koslowsky, M., Dolev, A., & Lerer, B. (1997). Post-traumatic stress disorder and depression: An analysis of comorbidity. British Journal of Psychiatry, 170, 479-482.
Derogitas, L.R., Lipman, R.S., Rickels, K., Ublenhuth, E.H., & Cori, L. (1974). The Hopkins symptom checklist (HSCL): A self-report symptom inventory. Behavioral Science, 19, 1-15.
El-Islam, M. R. (1982). Arabic cultural psychiatry. Transcultural Psychiatric Research Review, 19(1), 5-24.
Fabrega, H., Ulrich, R., & Mezzich, J.E. (1993). Do caucasians and black adolescents differ at psychiatric intake? Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 32(2), 407-413.
Fabreka, H. (1991). Psychiatric stigma in non-Western societies. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 32(6), 534-551.
Feinson, M., Popper, M., & Handelsman, M. (1992). Utilization of public ambulatory mental health service in Israel: A focus on age and gender patterns. State of Israel, Ministry of Health.
Gorkin M., & Othman R. (1994). Traditional psychotherapeutic healing and healers in the Palestinian community. Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences, 31(3), 221-231.
Hall, E. (1976). Beyond culture. New York: Doubleday.
Ibrahaim, A.S., & Ibrahaim, R.M. (1993). Is psychotherapy really needed in nonwestern cultures: The case of Arab countries. Psychological Reports, 72, 881-882.
Karam, E.G. (1997). Comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. In C.S. Fullerton, & R.J. Ursano et al. (Eds.), Posttraumatic stress disorder: Acute and long-term responses to trauma and disaster (pp. 77-90). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.
Kulwicki, A. (1986). Health Issues among Arab Muslim Families. In Aswad, B. & Bilge, B. (Eds.), Family and Gender among American Muslims (pp. 187-207). Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Okasha, A., & Lotailf, F. (1979). Attempted suicide: An Egyptian investigation. Acta Psychiatric Scandinavia, 60, 69-75.
Prince, R.H., & Tcheng-Laroche, F. (1987). Culture-bound syndromes and international disease classifications. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 11, 289-335.
Rabo, A. (1996). Gender, state, and civil society in Jordan and Syria. In Hann, C., & Dunn, E. (Eds.), Civil society: Challenging Western models (pp. 155-177). London: Routledge.
Racy, J. (1980). Somatization in Saudi women: A therapeutic challenge. British Journal of Psychiatry, 137, 212-216.
Rappaport, H., & Rappaport, M. (1981). The integration of scientific and traditional healing: A proposed model. American Psychologist, 36(7), 774-781.
Ruiz, P., & Langrod, J. (1976). The role of folk healers in community mental health services. Community Mental Health, 12(4), 392-398.
Samha, M. (1990). The impact of migratory flows on population changes in Jordan: A Middle Eastern case study. International Migration, 28(2), 215-228.
Savaya, R. (1995). Attitudes towards family and marital counseling among Israeli Arab women. Journal of Social Service Research, 21(1), 35-51.
Sharp, A.L. (1994). Exorcists, psychiatrists, and the problems of possession in northwest Madagascar. Social Science and Medicine, 8(4), 225-242.
Solomon, Z. (1989). Characteristic psychiatric symptomatology of post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans: A three-year follow-up. Psychological Medicine, 19(4), 927-936.
Solomon, Z., & Kleinhauz, M. (1996). War-induced psychic trauma: An 18-year follow-up of Israeli veterans. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 66(1), 152-160.
Solomon, Z., Mikulincer, M., & Kotler, M. (1987). A two-year follow-up of somatic complaints among Israeli combat stress reaction casualties. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 31(4), 463-469.
Sue, S., & Zane, N. (1987). The role of culture and cultural techniques in psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 42(1), 37-45.
Torrey, E.F. (1986). The mind game: Witchdoctors and psychiatrists. New York: Emerson Hall.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Al-Krenawi, A., Graham, J.R. & Kandah, J. Gendered Utilization Differences of Mental Health Services in Jordan. Community Ment Health J 36, 501–511 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1001963714338
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1001963714338