Journal of Psychiatry

The social aspect of mental illness among orthodox Christians of the Tigrinya ethnic group in Eritrea

28^th International Conference on Psychiatry and Mental Health

November 20-21, 2017 Melbourne, Australia

Erimias Biniam Firre

Chiang Mai University, Thailand

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Psychiatry

Abstract:

This study is situated within the sociocultural and religious context of orthodox Christians of the Tigrinya ethnic group who inhabit in the central and southern plateau of Eritrea. With this ethnic group being ethno-linguistically and socioculturally dominant and religiously conservative in comparison with the remaining eight ethno-linguistic groups and other Christian denominations in the country, this research project takes a closer look at how members of the traditionally and religiously bound orthodox Christians of the Tigrinya ethnic group conceptualize or construct the notion of mental illness from socio-cultural and religious worldview. More importantly, efforts will be made to explore the impacts of tightly held kinship systems, socio-cultural and religious beliefs and practices of this ethnic group on the treatment seeking behavior and treatment preference of orthodox Christians towards mental illness and the bearers of the illness. Therefore, contrary to the dominant etiological conceptualization and diagnostic formulation of the biomedical model towards mental illness and the sufferers, this study argues that socio-cultural and religious beliefs or traditionally bound illness ideologies immensely determine the perception, treatment seeking behavior and treatment preference of orthodox Christians of the Tigrinya ethnic group in Eritrea. Thus, this research inquires how such socio-cultural practices and religious beliefs specifically interrelate with the way orthodox Christians of the Tigrinya ethnic perceive and treat mental illness. As a key objective, this study attempts to investigate the interconnection between mental illness and socio-cultural practices and religious beliefs and treatment preferences, explore the various ways where socio-cultural practices and religious beliefs impact mentally ill persons and their families. Ultimately, via comparative and inductive approaches, this research project is expected to address cross-cutting themes and establish significant links between socio-cultural and religious factors and perception, treatment seeking behavior and treatment preference of orthodox Christians of the aforementioned ethnic group.