Ghazala Mir, Shabbir Hussain, Wali Wardaq and Shaista Meer
Background:
National guidelines in the UK and US promote attention to variations in patients’ cultural background in choice of treatment for depression as these significantly affect outcomes. People from Muslim backgrounds are more likely to use religious coping techniques for mental health problems than other social groups. There is evidence that faith-sensitive therapies can achieve earlier results than secular treatments for this population. However, little guidance is available on the form and content of culturally appropriate interventions.
Method:
Behavioral Activation, an effective therapy for depression, was culturally adapted to meet the needs of Muslim patients. A self-help resource was developed as part of this process, drawing on MRC guidelines for development of complex interventions. The resource was piloted with patients attending primary care therapy services in Bradford, an ethnically diverse city in the UK. Feedback was obtained from patients, therapists, supervisors and managers through evaluation of pre-pilot training and semi-structured interviews at the end of the study. Analysis of results informed further refinement of the self-help booklet.
Conclusion:
Most practitioners and participants felt the intervention was acceptable and feasible within NHS settings. Whilst recognizing the need for and value of the self-help resource, however, practitioners often struggled to engage with their patients’ religious identity or support the use of ‘positive religious coping’ within a therapy setting. Findings suggest a need for implementation support at sites wishing to use this culturally adapted intervention.
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Abnormal and Behavioural Psychology received 361 citations as per Google Scholar report
