Article title: Person-centered versus disease-centered narratives among mental health providers in Kuwait: A critical and qualitative analysis of iatrogenesis and global medical discourse in action
Authors: Khullar, N. & Coughlan, R.
Journal: International Journal of Mental Health
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00207411.2018.1504565
The abstract and conclusion sections of the article have been amended with a few textual corrections.
• The author has given the revised Abstract as follows:
“This article uses bioethical and cross-cultural lenses to examine the narratives of 11 mental health professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors) regarding their perceptions of, and experiences in providing mental health services in Kuwait. Given that there is no legal ethical body governing mental health service delivery in Kuwait, and that there have been recent reports of negative personal experiences with mental health professionals, this study sought to understand the types of narratives and treatment approaches that may contribute to inadequate service delivery. This study drew on interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) and critical discourse analysis in its analysis. The analyses indicated that ideology (either patient-centered or disease-centered) can be shaped by educational background and professional experiences, which can, in turn, shape how mental health professionals deliver mental health services to the Kuwaiti community. Findings also indicate that mainstream western medical discourses are actively transforming the landscape of mental health care in Kuwait; while this western transformation is welcomed (and even imposed) by some clinicians, it is critiqued by others who feel that: a) indigenous forms of healing are beginning to wane; and b) local clinicians can be pressured to assimilate to North American standards of mental health care. Research limitations and directions for clinical education and practice are also discussed.”
• In the Conclusion section, the first sentence has been modified as follows:
“The narratives provided in the current study demonstrate that mental health providers who had backgrounds in social work, multicultural counseling, feminist studies, and/or worked with at-risk, underserved, and immigrant populations were more patient-centered in their approach to providing care by focusing more on mental health service users’ resilience rather than their psychopathology.”