Presentation Information
[O-1-02]Understanding Religion and Coping in South Asians with Psychosis
*Sabrah Khanyari, Eric Jarvis (McGill University(Canada))
Keywords:
Culture,Religion,South Asians,Coping Strategies,Psychosis
Background: Psychosis is a mental condition that significantly impacts individuals’ mental health, social functioning, and quality of life. As the largest visible minority group in Canada, South Asians (SA) represent a diverse community with strong religious ties that often influence their approach to mental health challenges. Despite the potential impact of religious beliefs and practices on the experience and treatment of psychosis, this area remains underexplored in this group. This study aims to understand how religion may influence SA youth's experience of psychosis, incorporating the perspectives of both patients and their families.
Objective: To explore the role of religion in shaping the experiences of SA youth with psychosis, including its influence on coping strategies, treatment adherence, and overall adjustment, while examining family perspectives on these dynamics.
Methods: An in-depth qualitative person centred approach will be employed, involving semi-structured interviews with SA youth diagnosed with psychosis and their family members. Participants will be recruited through two hospital sites in Montreal. Data will be thematically analyzed using the method of inductive thematic analysis described by Braun and Clark (2006). Analysis and discussion on the themes will be guided by Religious Coping Theory (Pargament, 1997), which provides a framework to categorize religious coping strategies according to their impact on mental health and recovery.
Anticipated Contributions: This research is expected to provide nuanced insights into the role of religion in the lives of SA youth with psychosis, highlighting both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies. Findings aim to inform culturally sensitive, family-centered mental health interventions that enhance treatment engagement and recovery outcomes for this population.
Objective: To explore the role of religion in shaping the experiences of SA youth with psychosis, including its influence on coping strategies, treatment adherence, and overall adjustment, while examining family perspectives on these dynamics.
Methods: An in-depth qualitative person centred approach will be employed, involving semi-structured interviews with SA youth diagnosed with psychosis and their family members. Participants will be recruited through two hospital sites in Montreal. Data will be thematically analyzed using the method of inductive thematic analysis described by Braun and Clark (2006). Analysis and discussion on the themes will be guided by Religious Coping Theory (Pargament, 1997), which provides a framework to categorize religious coping strategies according to their impact on mental health and recovery.
Anticipated Contributions: This research is expected to provide nuanced insights into the role of religion in the lives of SA youth with psychosis, highlighting both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies. Findings aim to inform culturally sensitive, family-centered mental health interventions that enhance treatment engagement and recovery outcomes for this population.