המסורת והטיפול הנפשי: מקרה החברה הבדואית, הפסיכולוג מול המטפל השיח’

Abstract

The main objectives of the present study were to understand the prevailing
perception among Bedouin society for the role of the treating psychologist and
the degree of belief in the effectiveness of psychological treatment in the clinic,
and to identify the factors influencing this perception. Another goal of the study
is to understand the concept of traditional therapy and the belief in its
effectiveness
The study addresses a very important issue in traditional society - the authority
to provide psychological care. In traditional Bedouin society, it is customary to
receive treatment from the sheikh and a traditional healer, and not from a
professional (psychologist). This study deals with the factors that influence the
choice of therapist, the factors attributed in the Bedouin society to psychological
diseases and other factors that influence the choice of treatment method
(psychological or traditional). The study was conducted in the Bedouin society
in southern Israel. The research was performed in a mixed- quantitative and
qualitative method. The researcher used two types of research tools -
questionnaires and interviews. As for the questionnaires, two types of
questionnaires were handed out to participants - the first, which was given to 84
people, examined the prevailing perception regarding psychological treatment.
The second questionnaire was handed to 204 people and examined the prevailing
perception regarding treatment in traditional therapists - the sheikh and the
traditional healer. As for open interviews, I interviewed 50 Bedouin students

from the College of Education to examine how educated people from the
Bedouin population perceive the role of the psychologist
The findings of the present study show that four barriers prevent the individual
in Bedouin society from accessing psychological treatment:
1. Lack of awareness of the role of the psychologist.
2. Social pressure.
3. Traditional worldview.
4. Subjective interpretation of religion.