ABSTRACT

Our basic conceptualization of disorders and therapeutic interventions in crosscultural settings combines the notion of “idioms of distress” with the narrative paradigm (see Witztum & Goodman 1999a, 1999b). The concept of “idioms of distress” was suggested by Nichter (1981), who made a distinction between psychosocial distress and its symptomatic manifestations in local social spheres. Idioms of distress describe disorders that are socially and culturally constructed, but are not necessarily institutionalized and recognized as a “culture-bound syndrome” (for a Jewish example, see Bilu, 1985). These idioms are weaved on the basis of collective cultural symbols, but the way they are used and experienced are not necessarily widespread, and they might even be specific to an individual. In any case, such idioms have not gained social recognition and canonization by the individuals’ society and the mental health profession.1