Pakistani Culture Research Articles

Prevalence of Social Anxiety Disorder in Undergraduate Students of Hazara Division, Pakistan

Globally, people are more likely to suffer from social anxiety issues (SAD) in regions with high levels of social and performance demands. This study evaluates the occurrence and severity of SAD among undergraduates in the Pakistani culture Hazara Area. It controls for gender and age. A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted. An investigation of 353 college students looked into the frequency, symptoms, and effects of SAD on everyday functioning and academic performance. This research backs up earlier findings that students aged 21–25 had a higher prevalence of a disorder of social anxiety (SAD), which also demonstrates that a large proportion of students suffer from SAD in general. Symptoms such as protective behaviors, physical signs (such as sweat), and fear of censure were observed, indicating that the condition significantly impacts social ties and academic progress. These findings highlight the need to implement focused interventions in educational settings.

Identity and Belonging in Na’ima B. Robert’s Boys vs Girls (2010)

This paper investigates Na’ima B Robert’s Boys vs Girls (2010), which relates the story of two children of a Pakistani-English family. It casts light on the impact of the parents’ Pakistani culture on their children, Farhana and Faraz, who are born in England, but inherited a cultural legacy, with which they have never established any direct contact. Accordingly, Robert’s novel deals with issues common in diasporic literature, namely, identity, alienation, and belonging. The paper examines their attempt to reconcile the two parts of their identity, Pakistani and English, and reduce the pernicious impacts of their feelings of alienation. While exploring the two children’s process of identity formation in Robert’s novel, we draw on scholars, such as Paul Gilroy, Stuart Hall, and Salman Rushdie, who, like Robert and the two main characters in this novel, face similar challenges in negotiating identity and expressing their sense of belonging. Further, we employ Avtar Brah’s analysis of the cultural constrains imposed on young Asian Muslims in educational institutes as we trace Farhana and Faraz’s endeavour to counter the stereotyped image of Muslims in the West while celebrating their Islamic culture at. Moreover, it depicts the parents’ concerns that their children’s espousal of their Islamic culture might negatively impact on their progress in the West. Depending on non-white feminists’ notions, namely Hazel Carby, the paper critiques white feminism which marginalises the needs and aspirations of non-white women residing in the west.

Patriarchy, Power and Prostitution in Lahore’s Red Light District: A Feminist Study of Fouzia Saeed’s Taboo

In her 2002 book Taboo: The Hidden Culture of Red Light Area, Fouzia Saeedexplains how patriarchal norms in Pakistani society rigidly categorise women into‘pure’ and ‘polluted’, shaping perceptions of prostitution and human trafficking. This article argues that patriarchy has its roots in materiality, and plays anindispensable role in pushing many women into the dreadful practice of prostitution or trafficking for sexual slavery through the structural andinstitutional flaws threaded within Pakistani culture. Women in Pakistan yet alsohave internalised the deep-rooted patriarchal ideologies and sexism that lead to a holistic understanding of what this patriarchal culture entails. Focusing on HeeraMandi – Lahore’s traditional red light district as depicted in Saeed’s ethnographic book, this textual cum descriptive analysis contributes to unveil the dilemmas of women engaged in prostitution who are constantly under threat frompatriarchyand other institutions. While unfolding men formulated cultural norms throughradical feminist analysis of Taboo, this article concludes that the patriarchal metamorphosing of women into valueless commodities perpetuates the practice of prostitution and trafficking in Heera Mandi. The study also suggests that, toeliminate female inferiority, feminist activism in Pakistan requires measures torestructure patriarchy together with consciousness-raising and political educationof women in all respects.

Effectiveness of Fun FRIENDS on social emotional functioning of Pakistani school children

School-based intervention programs are important for children from low- and middle-income countries where prior research suggests they are at greater risk for poor social-emotional functioning (SEF). The present study examined the effectiveness of an Urdu (Pakistani language) version of the Fun FRIENDS program in enhancing the SEF of school children from Islamabad, Pakistan. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 426 children (4 to 8 years) from public schools. The findings of the study demonstrated a significant positive effect of the intervention on child-reported social-emotional development. Whereas emotional knowledge and recognition and teacher-reported externalizing problems were not significant. These results provide preliminary evidence that Fun FRIENDS may be effective in promoting one aspect of the SEF of school children in Pakistan. However, larger-scale studies with public and private school student populations are necessary to understand better these largely null results and how to best optimize school-based programs within Pakistani culture.

Exploring Social Media Use Among Young Adults for Health Information Acquisition

The purpose of this study is to investigate the usage of social media platforms to obtain health-related information among young adults in Pakistan. Considering the increasing reliance on digital sources for health-related inquiries, especially among the youth, this study aims to examine the prevalence and impact of social media in this context within the context of Pakistani culture. People get to connect more and learn about their issues and health. A survey is conducted to study aims to identify factors that young adults' engagement with social media health information and their beliefs of the credibility and trustworthiness of such sources. By shedding light on these dynamics, the findings of this study can help develop targeted interventions and educational initiatives aimed at promoting healthy reading and responsible online behaviour among Pakistani youth. A survey is scheduled in four universities based in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The departments of social sciences, IT, Public Health, Psychology and Media Sciences. 300 Students are reached out to get the objectives done. The knowledge gained from this study is well-positioned to guide focused interventions and educational initiatives meant to cultivate in Pakistani youth a culture of responsible online engagement and informed decision-making. This research has identified the underlying motives and behaviours that are connected with online health-seeking practices, and it has determined the influences on engagement with health content on social media and appraised opinions about the validity and dependability of such sources. The study has resulted in some significant findings that could be used for us to design programs and interventions that would guide young Pakistanis on how they can embrace technology responsibly while keeping themselves secure while online.

PROGRESSIVE CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN THE ELIMINATION OF RABIES AMONG THE STRAY DOG (CANIS FAMILIARIS) POPULATION IN PAKISTAN

Stray dogs are integrally linked with rabies transmission, and a sizeable unmanaged dog population hinders rabies control program planners. Dog population management (DPM) is one of the best strategies to control rabies transmission, improve health management, and lower the population size of stray dogs. The threat of rabies is very serious due to free-roaming dogs. Foxes, skunks, groundhogs, raccoons, and house bats are rabies vector species and can carry rabies virus without showing any symptoms. Rabies is a life-threatening disease that affects thousands of losses worldwide every year. World Rabies Day is an international awareness campaign coordinated by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC). In Pakistan, there are reportedly 3 million stray dogs. More than one million dog bite cases are reported annually throughout Pakistan. About 600 dog bite cases are reported daily in the Sindh province, Pakistan. Due to an uncontrolled number of stray dogs, many serious problems arise related to public health, socio-economic, and political issues. The Animal Act of 1890 provides a specific defense against cruelty and establishes its importance in Pakistani culture. Developing long-term and supportable strategies is imperative to overcome the stray animal population worldwide. To overcome the rabies issue in Pakistan, the government should implement projects on breeding control of stray dogs through spaying and neutering surgeries. The government should also provide proper shelters for dogs and rabies vaccines. There is a need to be aware of basic preventive measures such as disinfectants and rabies vaccination. Public awareness, rabies vaccination, and dog sterilization at the national level are crucial factors in preventing rabies and managing the dog population in Pakistan.

Experiences of Help-Seeking for Severe Mental Health Problems in Young Pakistani Women: A Preliminary Qualitative Study.

Almost three quarters of mental illnesses start by the age of 25, yet youth (18-25-year-olds) are often underrepresented in U.K. services. This is particularly true for those of ethnic minorities. In this study, we aimed to understand how young Pakistani women and their parents make decisions to seek help for severe mental health problems, and the barriers and facilitators to accessing professional help. Young Pakistani women with experience of severe mental health problems and their parents were recruited from a community sample. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six young people and two parents. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Pakistani culture and its interplay with British culture strongly influenced the decisions and ability of young Pakistani women and their parents to help-seek, largely through the role of stigma. Low mental health literacy, stigma, and a lack of culturally informed services were identified as the most common barriers to accessing care. These barriers fed into the internalized stigma these young women experienced which, through fear of damaged reputation and personal prejudices, posed further barriers to seeking help. Participants highlighted recommendations for both individual-level (e.g., increased education and awareness) and service-level (e.g., greater choice over care) change to facilitate accessibility of professional help. Young Pakistani women face multiple culturally related challenges to accessing care for severe mental health problems at both the individual- and service-level. Novel suggestions to address these challenges, such as including youth peer support workers in services, may facilitate more inclusive and accessible services.

A Re-Orientalist Critique of Moni Mohsin’s The End of Innocence

The complicity of Western intellectuals in optimizing the oppression of the Orient even after the end of European empires is a much-debated issue within postcolonial literary circles. This argument is mostly centered around the critiques of European modernity doctrine which is held as a new face of the Imperialist project. West maintains its superiority over the East through different modes, among them diasporic fiction is identified as serving this project by Lisa Lau. In particular, Lau’s idea of re-orientalism reveals the involvement of migrant writers who highlight the inferiority of their indigenous cultures in their fiction. By considering the re-Orientalist perspective with its attention to the suspicion of meta-narratives and repetition of the stories already popular among Western readers, this paper points out the subtle ways in which formulaic representation of characters, emplotment of the story in specific socio-cultural Pakistani society and the narratorial references to historical and political happenings of the Pakistani society re-construct the orient as ‘other’. This paper concludes Moni Mohsin’s The End of Innocence as a cultural construct serving the European agenda of colonization, wherein the novelist has depicted the backward, sensual and illiterate Pakistani culture through the stereotyping of the indigenous population.

Belief in Jinn Possession Scale: Development and validation

In spite of scientific developments, paranormal beliefs remain widespread, especially in South Asian societies. Numerous disorders connected to possession and trance have been theorized in recent years. In this study, three community samples were used to develop a comprehensive scale of Belief in Jinn Possession Scale (BJPS) and to examine its consistency and relevance. The BJPS scale was proposed to be multidimensional with four factors displaying satisfactory internal consistency reliability estimated by the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) ( n = 300). However, confirmatory factor analyses ( n = 300) reduced the number of factors to two. The BJPS demonstrated excellent reliability and statistically significant positive correlations among its factors of beliefs about signs of possession and beliefs about vulnerability and preventive measures. Convergent and discriminant validity ( n = 316) was supported by a high correlation between BJPS, Revised Paranormal Belief Scale (RPBS), and Paranormal and Supernatural Belief Scale (PSBS) and a low correlation between BJPS, Narcissistic Personality Inventory 16 (NPI-16), and Moral Identity Measure (MIM). These results suggest that the BJPS is a well-grounded and sound tool for evaluating one’s irrational beliefs about possession states in Pakistani culture, and it may be the first attempt to conceptualize possession.

Unveiling Cultural Narratives: A Qualitative Inquiry into Cultural Representation in Language Education under Pakistan’s Single National Curriculum

This qualitative research delves into the cultural narratives encapsulated in language education under Pakistan’s Single National Curriculum (SNC). The study scrutinizes the integration and portrayal of cultural representation within the SNC by employing a methodological framework comprising document analysis and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders such as curriculum developers, educators, and policy experts. It particularly focuses on the implications of these representations for students’ cultural awareness and identity formation. The findings unveil a pronounced emphasis on national narratives within the curriculum, which tends to eclipse the multifaceted local cultural identities and constrains exposure to broader global cultural perspectives. This predominant focus on national narratives significantly influences students’ perceptions and understanding of their cultural heritage, potentially leading to a constricted perception of Pakistani culture. The research highlights an essential need for a more equitable and inclusive integration of cultural narratives within the curriculum, accentuating the significance of harmonizing local and global cultural elements in educational content. Based on these insights, the study proposes several recommendations, including enhancing teacher training programs, involving diverse stakeholders in the curriculum development process, and a continuous and rigorous evaluation of how cultural narratives are represented and conveyed within the curriculum.

EXPLORING THE PHENOMENON OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN CONTEXT OF DRESSING AND NON-VERBAL EMOTIONAL CUES IN PAKISTANI CULTURE

The purpose of this study is to discuss more understandable research that shows connections between sexual harassment, non-verbal emotional cues, and dressing. This is particularly crucial when there is a dearth of research that connects the connections and provides a thorough and analytical framework for analyzing the problem. The arguments in this study from a multidisciplinary approach provide fresh perspectives on the problem of sexual harassment in human civilization. Qualitative exploratory research by using focus group discussion and interviews was used to understand sexual harassment in context of dressing and non-verbal emotional cues and how is it misperceived in Pakistani culture. Systematic grounded theory emphasizes the use of data analysis in three phases; archival data from newspaper article and blogs, focus group discussion and interviews and it develops a logical paradigm or pictorial view of theory construction by using the themes and coding from all qualitative data. According to the findings the women are likely to become victims of sexual harassment on the basis their dressing and non-verbal emotional cues. These cues are visually perceived by the harasser, the environment of the victim and the harasser is different so encoding and decoding of the cues being misperceived that ultimately lead towards sexual harassment.

Development and Validation of Female Psychosexual Problems Scale (FPPS)

The goal of the current study was to address married women's psychosexual difficulties in the context of Pakistani culture. Semi structured interviews were conducted on 35 married females as part of the study's initial phase in order to explore phenomenology, and 34 items were created as a result. Furthermore, 34 items were initially provided to experts for the evaluation of content validity. Repetitive statements were discarded after evaluation, and a scale of 32 items was kept and approved by professionals related to psychology field. 160 married female participants were given the final 32 item scale for data collection. Factor analysis revealed a strong KMO value, and Bartlett's test of sphericity revealed a substantial connection between the items. Kaiser's criteria were used to conduct a one factor analysis and only factors with Eigen values of .4 or higher were kept, while factors with Eigen values lower than .4 were removed from the sample. Three key themes found were problems with relationships, personal suffering, and religious concerns by component analysis. Data from sample of 50 married females underwent Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to verify the variables identified through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), which overall demonstrated a strong construct validity of the scale and model fit. The constructed scale's Cronbach alpha value of .97 indicates a significant inter-item correlation. The research demonstrates information on a wide range of interventions.

Association between Death Anxiety, Religiosity and Coping Strategies with HIV Patients

Abstract In the 21st century, HIV poses enormous problems and burdens and is a serious worldwide health concern. This study looked into how people with HIV's perceptions of death, their level of religiosity, and their coping mechanisms. From July 2023 to March 2023, a correlational study design was conducted in Pakistan's District Faisalabad. Promoting psychological well-being and creating specialized therapies for this population depend on an understanding of these aspects. An extensive evaluation of mortality anxiety, religion, and coping mechanisms was done on a sample (N=100) of HIV-positive men and women. The goal of the study is to understand how these psychological variables interact and affect the adjustment and health of HIV-positive people. For the assessment of the current study, several questionnaires were used. The target population for the current study was chosen using the purposeful sampling technique. Percentages, means, standard deviations, and bivariate correlation were calculated as part of the study's descriptive and correlational analyses. Multiple linear regression and t-tests on independent samples analyses for inferential statistics were also carried out to test the study's hypotheses. The results showed a significant average difference in scores for the Religiosity Scale (t (98) = 2.904, p<0.005) and Coping Strategies Scale (t (98) = 3.350, p<0.005). This demonstrated that the individuals' reported levels of religiosity and coping mechanisms differ according to gender. According to the Death Anxiety Scale's mean difference finding (t (98) = -1.434, p >.001), there were no discernible differences in reported levels of death anxiety between the gender. The findings have important ramifications for those who live with HIV, their families, medical professionals, and researchers. The value and significance for Pakistani culture are concluded by the current study.

Contested Self-image Because of Excessive Use of Social Media: A Qualitative Study of Female Instagram Users of Fast University Islamabad

Adolescent girls and young women may be influenced by social media settings to participate in social comparison, leading to feelings of inadequacy and body dissatisfaction. Instagram usage was nevertheless frequently observed to have notable special effects on body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, and inappropriate dieting behaviours in an attempt to achieve an ideal body image. From this research, it was shown that most young girls think that in Pakistani culture, certain body types are marketed on Instagram and by Instagram influencers. Social media has grown in popularity, particularly among university students and adolescent girls. Instagram may be a harmful mirror in which young women see their bodies in a distorted way. To look better, respondents also said that they use Instagram to keep up with the latest fashion and cosmetics trends.

Translation and validation of the Addiction Recovery Questionnaire (ARQ)

Substance abuse is a pandemic disease in Pakistan. The use of stimulants such as methamphetamine and ecstasy is common among adolescents, and it is increasing day by day. Our educational institutes are also facing this problem. So, in the present study, the Addiction Recovery Questionnaire (ARQ) was translated and validated in Pakistani culture to address the language barrier. The present study aimed to translate and validate the addiction recovery questionnaire on a sample of 140 substance users. Five independent translators who were experts in translation were selected to translate the ARQ in Urdu, which was finalized by the committee of 3 experts. Similarly, 3 English translators were contacted to translate the Urdu version back into English and shared with the Authors for their feedback. The author's recommendations were also incorporated. The alpha reliability of the ARQ was reported as α = 0.60, which shows the reliability of the measure. CFA was applied for the translated version for model fit, and to confirm the factor loading, the value of Chi-Square 63.20 with RMSEA of 0.04 indicates an adequate fit of the model. The reliability of the measure was first time established in the present study, and the CFA was also done to determine the construct-based factors of recovery. Hence, the ARQ is a reliable and brief recovery outcome that can give information about different dimensions of recovery, such as abstinence, normal living, and positive life expectancy.

Perceived Sociocultural Pressure and Body Dissatisfaction Among Female University Students

Background: This study investigates the relationship between perceived sociocultural pressure and body dissatisfaction among female university students. With the escalating influence of media and societal norms, understanding these dynamics is crucial, especially in the context of Pakistani culture where such studies are relatively scarce. Objective: To explore the correlation between perceived sociocultural pressure and body dissatisfaction among female university students in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, and to examine the impact of various demographic factors on these variables. Methods: The study involved 300 female university students from public and private universities in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, using a convenient sampling technique. The Perceived Sociocultural Pressure Scale and the Body Dissatisfaction Scale were employed to measure the study variables. The reliability of the instruments was established through Cronbach's alpha. Results: Perceived sociocultural pressure was found to be significantly positively correlated with body dissatisfaction (r = .37, p < .05). No significant correlations were observed between these variables and age or monthly family income. Participants from urban areas showed higher body dissatisfaction compared to those from rural areas. Perceived sociocultural pressure significantly predicted body dissatisfaction (β = .39, p < .001), accounting for 14% of the variance in body dissatisfaction. Conclusion: The findings indicate a significant relationship between perceived sociocultural pressure and body dissatisfaction among the studied sample, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to mitigate these issues in the Pakistani context.

Personal Meanings and Reality of Gendered Socialization in Pakistan

Abstract The socialization of young men can make a difference in social change in patriarchal societies such as Pakistan. This research applies Nancy Chodorow’s (1978) Object Relations Theory to analyze the learning of gender roles for young men. Key informants comprised 30 young men aged 18–30 from mainstream society and semi-structured interviews were carried out in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. The key research objectives were to explore young men’s ideas about socialization in Pakistani culture and how they learn the gender-specific roles. The results of this study reveal that from the age of 8 to 17, boys learn their gender roles and masculine standards. It argues that a cohesive and integrated approach is needed through community, parents, and school-based programs where young men can be socialized to contribute positively to a violence-free, risk-free, equitable society and innovative thinking is needed to socialize young men.

Adaptation of Thematic Apperception Test in Pakistan

Thematic Apperception Test is a widely used projective measure of personality assessment. The present research adapted 20 of the most useful TAT cards according to Pakistani culture. The cards were modified by changing the dressing and facial features of the characters showed in the pictures. The cards were given to clinical psychologists for qualitative item analysis. After the final approval both the original and adapted TAT version were applied on 54 respondents (n=34 normal and n=20 psychological patients). Nine judges interpreted TAT protocols according to Bellack’s scoring system on original as well as adapted version. Validity of the adapted version was calculated through convergence between original and adapted versions of TAT cards. Reliability was estimated through percentage of agreement among judges by inter-rater method. The validity ranged from 29.83 for card 7GF to 42.40 for card 9 BM. The average reliability ranged from 9.73 for card 18 BM to 22.79 for card 1. Although the reliability and validity indices of the newly adapted cards were generally low due to the projective nature of TAT, still the adapted version of TAT can be used in clinical settings for diagnostic purposes as well for the assessment of normal population.

An analysis of Josh condom commercials: perspectives on female sexuality in Pakistani culture

ABSTRACTEven though sexuality occupied a prominent place in traditional Islam, sex has become a taboo subject in Pakistan, especially female sexuality. Prudish attitudes about female sexuality have not only resulted in population explosion in Pakistan but also impacted women’s health. I analyze thirteen Josh condom commercials that were initially banned in Pakistan because viewers complained of indecent content, and later moved to late night programming in order to meet the national goal of population control. My paper examines how female sexuality is depicted in the Josh ad campaign and identifies three common themes: female sexual agency, female sexual pleasure, and marital satisfaction. Employing Kenneth Burke’s rhetorical theory, I argue that the Josh condom commercials failed to build identification with viewers because the ad campaign overlooked cultural views that govern female sexuality in Pakistan as well as other social expectations that affect family size. I conclude that Pakistani women cannot be held responsible for controlling the exploding population of Pakistan when social factors restricting their sexual and reproductive agency have not been addressed. Pakistani culture already leans towards shifting blame for societal problems onto women, and commercials that reinforce this belief can further harm women and fail in controlling population growth.

The Truth About Mendacity: The Role of Deception Motives in Perception of Deceptive Communication in Pakistan

Deception scholarship is becoming increasingly interested in knowing how findings located predominantly in the North American context travel over diverse cultural contexts. Feeding into this line of inquiry, the study predicted that people’s perception of deceptive communication is always commensurate with their cultural understanding of deception as moral evil or a social necessity. Furthermore, the study also proposed that the perceived deceptiveness of a deceitful statement is the function of the deception goal it sets out to achieve. To test this assumption for Pakistani culture, the study used the theoretical guidelines and experimental design proposed in Information Manipulation Theory (IMT). Using Buller and Burgoon’s typology of deception motives, three deception motives (i.e., instrumental, interpersonal and identity) were identified and situational prompts were created in each category. The participants ( N = 753) read the situational prompts and rated five different types of information manipulations on four 7-point semantic differential scales. The results indicated that the motive type had a significant effect on the perception of deceptive communication. The information manipulation carried out for instrumental purposes was rated more deceptive than the interpersonal and identity-based manipulations. Nevertheless, completely disclosive messages and falsifications were consistently rated the most honest and the most deceptive respectively. The results indicate that Pakistani culture places a high premium on the value of truth and treats indirect messages as less honest than completely truthful messages. The findings bring insights about an understudied collectivist culture and help to make empirical profiling of deceptive communication more robust.