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Psychotherapy in Saudi Arabia: Its History and Cultural Context

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Abstract

The introduction of modern mental healthcare standards and services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), has resulted in a gradual shift towards a more positive perspective on mental health issues and related services, and has increased the demand for qualified mental health professionals and psychological interventions (WHO 2016). Despite recent advances in mental healthcare services, psychopharmacology remains the main treatment modality for the majority of mental health issues in KSA. Psychotherapy has had a rather slow developmental trajectory in KSA, and its provision requires an understanding of many specific aspects of Saudi culture (Dubovsky 1983). This paper will shed light on the historical development and current challenges of psychiatric and psychological services and the availability of psychotherapy in KSA. By offering an explication of a selection of local social phenomena, this paper will attempt to explain how unique Saudi cultural constructs and social contexts influence the training, perception, and practice of psychotherapy in the country, outlining existing challenges as well as some expected future directions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain

    Haifa Algahtani

  2. Saudi Aramco Health Organization, Dhahran, 31311, Saudi Arabia

    Yasmine Buraik

  3. Department of Mental Health, Neuroscience Center, King Fahad Specialist Hospital-Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

    Yasser Ad-Dab’bagh

  4. Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    Yasser Ad-Dab’bagh

Authors
  1. Haifa Algahtani
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  2. Yasmine Buraik
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  3. Yasser Ad-Dab’bagh
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Correspondence to Haifa Algahtani.

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Algahtani, H., Buraik, Y. & Ad-Dab’bagh, Y. Psychotherapy in Saudi Arabia: Its History and Cultural Context. J Contemp Psychother 47, 105–117 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-016-9347-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-016-9347-2

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