An investigation into second generation British South Asian Muslim women's perceptions and experiences of counselling

Abstract

This study seeks to explore British South Asian Muslim women's perceptions and experiences of counselling. The literature search of contemporary research has identified that there is a high prevalence of mental health problems among British South Asian women (Chew-Graham et at 2002; Hussain & Cochrane 2002 and 2004), and yet, a large proportion of the South Asian community does not receive appropriate support and care when experiencing mental health problems (Hatfield, Mohamad, Rahim & Tanweer 1996; Bowl 2007). Mental health professionals have also expressed concern regarding the
provision of mental health services for South Asian people in the UK (Acharyya, Moorhouse, Kareem & Littlewood 1989). This might indicate that counselling is either not offered, there is a lack of knowledge regarding counselling or that there is a deficit in the counselling support when it is offered. The aim of this study is to investigate second generation British-born South Asian Muslim women's perceptions and experiences of counselling by acquiring an understanding of British South Asian Muslim women's levels of awareness of counselling as a treatment option and exploring whether counselling is
beneficial for British-born South Asian Muslim women.
A qualitative study was conducted which consisted of thirty questionnaires and four interviews. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis from an interpretive and social constructionist perspective. The majority of the participants in this study found counselling to be beneficial. Overall the women's accounts indicated that a general cultural competence was a necessary factor in a successful counselling process. Thus, the findings imply that counsellors need good generic skills of cultural competence rather than specific cultural knowledge.