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Extended family therapy: A clinical approach to the treatment of synergistic dual anomic depression among Navajo agency‐town adolescents
Author(s) -
Topper Martin D.,
Curtis Jackie
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.585
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1520-6629
pISSN - 0090-4392
DOI - 10.1002/1520-6629(198707)15:3<334::aid-jcop2290150306>3.0.co;2-f
Subject(s) - navajo , agency (philosophy) , dysthymic disorder , depression (economics) , psychology , family therapy , psychotherapist , medicine , psychiatry , clinical psychology , major depressive disorder , sociology , social science , philosophy , linguistics , cognition , economics , macroeconomics
This article argues that the forms of psychopathology encountered among the members of any cultural group are products of that culture's historical experience and often are expressed in unique cultural forms. This challenges the therapist to modify his or her approach to treatment so that the patient will receive maximum benefit from therapy. We discuss a variation of dysthymic disorder that occurs among Navajo adolescents who live in agency towns on the Navajo reservation. We have called it “synergistic dual anomic depression” because of the unique constellation of cultural factors present in the environment of young Navajos who are affected by this disorder. We also discuss the successful treatment of one patient whom we diagnosed as suffering from this disorder. The treatment was culturally oriented in that it was based on the approach of Navajo medicine men toward working with the extended family. The result was a hybrid form of therapy that had a positive outcome both for the patient and for the extended family.