Exploring the cultural understanding of mental illness: A study in the Ovaherero community, Opuwo urban area, Namibia
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Date
2025
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University of Namibia
Abstract
This study aimed to identify and analyze the cultural understandings of mental illness,
specifically its perceived symptoms, causes, and treatments, within the Ovaherero
community in Opuwo, Kunene Region, Namibia. Grounded in a constructivist
paradigm, the research employed a qualitative ethnographic design to explore
participants’ culturally embedded perceptions. Fifteen adult Ovaherero-speaking
participants aged 18 years and older were recruited through convenience and
homogeneous sampling techniques to ensure cultural relevance. Data were generated
using a socio-demographic questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed
through thematic analysis, with Arthur Kleinman’s explanatory model serving as the
theoretical lens. The findings revealed that mental illness is perceived as an affliction
interwoven with spiritual, moral, and social dimensions, often attributed to causes such
as witchcraft, ancestral displeasure, and moral transgressions. Aggression,
disorientation, and neglect of personal hygiene emerged as common indicators of
mental illness. Perceptions also varied by age and gender, with males aged 25 to 40
seen as particularly vulnerable. Overall, the results highlight the need for culturally
sensitive mental health interventions that integrate local explanatory models with
biomedical approaches to better address the multifaceted nature of mental illness within
the Ovaherero community
Description
A theses submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Clinical psychology
Keywords
Mental illness, Ovaherero community, Cultural beliefs, Thematic analysis, Kleinman’s explanatory model, Namibia, University of Namibia