City Research Online

Abstract

Increase in ethnic and racial diversity in UK requires National Health Service to deliver care to non-English speaking patients. The literature suggests that effective pain treatment and psychological treatments for chronic pain must be tailored to meet cultural experiences of pain and belief about pain treatment. Yet there appears to be lack of research into UK- based psychological therapy experience of ethnic minorities and non-English speaking patients. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study that explored the psychological therapy experience of Turkish-Speaking women with chronic pain. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with six women who had received psychological treatment in National Health Service for their chronic pain. An interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach was applied in the research process, identifying five superordinate themes: living with chronic pain, when paths crosses psychology, my pain is real, out of control and control within the system and outcome of therapy. Each superordinate theme consisted of several subthemes which described participants’ experience. Passive position taken up by participants during their psychological therapy experience emerged as significant in Turkish-speaking women with chronic pain. Cultural and systemic factors that maintain this passive position within psychological therapy are explored. Input directly from Turkish-Speaking women can be combined with findings from other studies to improve understanding of psychological therapy experience of individuals with chronic pain from different cultures. A better understanding of cultural differences and systemic challenges in the experience of psychological pain treatment can provide support for tailoring services to meet the needs of individuals from ethnic backgrounds.

Publication Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races
Departments:	Doctoral Theses School of Health & Psychological Sciences > Psychology School of Health & Psychological Sciences > School of Health & Psychological Sciences Doctoral Theses

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