Cultural Aspects of Cognitive Psychotherapy in Oman

Abstract

Cognitive psychotherapy targets dysfunctional patterns of thinking (Beck, 1976). Thinking patterns are influenced by a number of factors including that of cultural and traditional beliefs and values (Padesky 1995). It is therefore very important that cultural beliefs and values be taken into consideration in the analysis of cases and also incorporated into the process of cognitive psychotherapy. This becomes particularly important when cognitive psychotherapy, which has originated in the west is used in other parts of the world. The religious, cultural and social beliefs in the Sultanate of Oman, an Arab Moslem country are very different from that of the western countries. Outlined in this paper are some representative cases from Oman where cultural values and beliefs distinctive to this region colored the symptoms and were taken into consideration in the process of cognitive psychotherapy.