British South Asians who hear voices: A Narrative Analysis of understanding

Part One: Literature Review: Introduction: The systematic literature review explored the conceptual models used by South Asian women in making sense of their experiences of depression. Method: A systematic search of five databases generated a total of ten qualitative papers to be included in this review. Results: A total of four themes emerged in explaining beliefs about depression. These were; a) Inter-Generational Identity and Conflict, b) Marital Abuse and Adjustment, c) Somatisation and Medical Treatment and d) Distress as Part of Gods Plan. Many of the themes were shared by South Asian women living in South Asia and those living in the West. Discussion: There is evidence to suggest that South Asian women are not averse to receiving support from mental health services but Western models of mental health are not inclusive of cultural factors resulting in isolation of these women from receiving appropriate and timely support for depression. Part Two: Research Report: Introduction: The aim of the current study was to explore the types of narratives held by South Asian individuals who hear voices. Method: A qualitative approach was adopted for this study. Seven South Asian participants who actively heard voices were interviewed. These were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed using Narrative Analysis with a particular focus on Frank’s narrative typologies. Results: Results demonstrated that individuals held a range of narratives in understanding their experiences of hearing voices. These included elements of Restitution, Chaos and Quest. Cultural stories enabled effective meaning making and created more opportunities for collaborative interventions inclusive of religious and spiritual strategies. The absence of cultural dimensions in stories increased conflict between mental health services and South Asian individuals. Discussion: Supporting individuals to explore cultural stories and facilitating these to be incorporated into existing biomedical frameworks is more likely to result in individuals moving towards restitution in their experiences of hearing voices. Part Three: Critical Appraisal: This chapter described the reflexive account of the researcher throughout the research project.