AccScience Publishing / JCBP / Volume 2 / Issue 2 / DOI: 10.36922/jcbp.2889
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Culturally informed coping strategies adopted in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder among amaXhosa in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

Sandra Thompson-Assan1* ,  Yaseen Ally2
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1 Center for Student Development, Keystone Academy, Beijing, China
2 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Behavioural and Lifestyle Changes, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa
JCBP 2024, 2(2), 2889 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcbp.2889
Submitted: 5 February 2024 | Accepted: 27 February 2024 | Published: 5 April 2024
© 2024 by the Author (s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

In many contexts, culture plays a central role in shaping the expression and treatment of psychological experiences. These context-specific factors must be understood and considered for their role in mental health. However, despite this recognition, the influence of culturally informed coping strategies in dealing with posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD) has not been extensively explored. This study aims to investigate culturally informed coping strategies used in the treatment of PTSD symptoms among amaXhosa participants from the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study used a non-probability purposive sampling technique to select participants, conducting individual interviews with 15 individuals and organizing two focus group discussions, each consisting of four participants. Thematic analysis revealed that individuals tended to rely heavily on culturally informed coping strategies to manage their PTSD symptoms. Three main themes emerged from the study: (i) perceptions of traumatic symptoms; (ii) strategies for coping with PTSD symptoms; and (iii) various supplementary practices. The results underscore the importance of integrating culturally informed approaches into clinical practices, particularly in settings where cultural beliefs exert significant influence. In addition, the study introduces a checklist to assist in the initial stages of clinical sessions, providing valuable insights within the South African context, considering the diverse cultural beliefs prevalent across its landscape.

Keywords
Culture
Context
Posttraumatic stress disorders
AmaXhosa
Culturally informed coping strategies
South Africa
Funding
None.
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Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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Journal of Clinical and Basic Psychosomatics, Electronic ISSN: 2972-4414 Published by AccScience Publishing
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