Abstract

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the development of psychiatry in the Arab countries. Several reports have dealt with psychiatric problems in Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia (Al-Issa & Al-Issa, 1970; Kline, 1963; Dubovsky, 1983). Two general reviews have also dealt with major psychiatric research in the Arab Middle East (El-Islam, 1982; Racy, 1970). However, the countries surveyed have been under British and American influence and tend to follow the Anglo-Saxon psychiatric model. Little attention has been given to North African Arab countries which follow the French and franco-phone approach to psychiatry.

Highlights

  • IHSANAL-ISSAP, rofessor of Psychology, The University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N l N4

  • Several reports have dealt with psychiatric problems in Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia (Al-Issa & Al-Issa. 1970; Kline, 1963; Dubovsky, 1983)

  • Little attention has been given to North African Arab countries which follow the French and franco-phone approach to psychiatry

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Summary

Psychiatry in Algeria

IHSANAL-ISSAP, rofessor of Psychology, The University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N l N4. Little attention has been given to North African Arab countries which follow the French and franco-phone approach to psychiatry. The present article deals with aspects of psychiatry in a North African country, Algeria. It describes the Algerian sociocultural background and tradi tional concepts of mental illness and its treatment. The Arab invasion and French colonialism have left indelible effects on the country and its people. Because schooling used to be limited for most Algerians during the colonial period, they may not have had the opportunity to ¡earnFrench and it is not unusual today to find a situation where an Arab cannot communicate with a Berber, even when the latter speaks French in addition to his own native language

Despite the cultural and material poverty of'
Traditional concepts of mental illness and its treatment
The present psychiatric scene
Culture and men tal illness in Algeria
Suicide consanguinity among schizophrenic subjects was
Drug abuse and alcoholism
Although alcohol is used despite its prohibition in Schizophrenia
Findings
Further cultural observations
Full Text
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