Women from Polygamous and Monogamous Marriages in an Out-Patient Psychiatric Clinic

This selection considers the effect of living in patriarchal cultures on women’s mental health, particularly for Bedouin Arab women who are first wives in a polygamous marriage. It shows that health issues need to be considered in a family and social context. By exploring women’s living conditions in relation to their marriage relationships, the analysis connects with the previous selection on the social and politico-economic forces that induce people to favor sons over daughters in patriarchal cultures.