Challenging the nexus: Integrating Western psychology and African cultural beliefs in South African mental health care

Keywords: African perspective, culture, integrative approach, mental illness, mental healthcare, Western psychology

Abstract

This article delves into the unique sociocultural landscape of mental healthcare in South Africa, spotlighting the divergent conceptualisations of mental illness inherent in African and Western cultures. While acknowledging certain similarities, it emphasises the importance of integrating African-centred perspectives into psychology’s training and practice. We contend that the prevailing focus on Western approaches to mental illness not only marginalises indigenous beliefs but also perpetuates the dominance of Western medical paradigms in healthcare systems. This trend risks pathologising the African experience of mental health and narrowing the understanding of African humanity through a lens of psychiatrisation and medicalisation. The article advocates for a more formal, integrative approach to mental healthcare that recognises and incorporates African notions of illness and health, underscoring the centrality of culture in the healing process. Our discourse calls for a paradigm shift towards an integrative model that respects and combines the strengths of both Western and African approaches to mental health, thereby fostering a culturally sensitive, inclusive, and effective mental healthcare system in South Africa.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Daniel Lesiba Letsoalo, University of South Africa

Department of Psychology, College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria

Yaseen Ally, University of the Western Cape

Department of Psychology, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville

Wandile Fundo Tsabedze, University of South Africa

Department of Psychology,
College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria

Curwyn Mapaling, University of Johannesburg

Department of Psychology,
Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg

Published
2024-12-06
How to Cite
Letsoalo, D. L., Ally, Y., Tsabedze, W. F., & Mapaling, C. (2024). Challenging the nexus: Integrating Western psychology and African cultural beliefs in South African mental health care. PINS-Psychology in Society, 66(2), 45. https://doi.org/10.57157/pins2024Vol66iss2a6320
Section
Articles