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conferenceseries.com
Volume 5, Issue 5(Suppl) J Child Adolesc Behav, an open access journal
ISSN: 2375-4494 Child Psychology 2017
September 28-29, 2017
September 28-29, 2017 Berlin, Germany
23rd International Conference on
Adolescent Medicine &
Child Psychology
Cultural aspects of suicidal behaviour among female migrant adolescents
Indra Boedjarath
Tilburg University, Netherlands
Statement of the Problem: Suicidal behaviour of female ethnic minority adolescents in several westerns countries appear to be
disproportionately higher compared to native peers. The Western medical-psychiatric and psychological explanatory models
(individual focused, linear cause-effect relationships between psychopathology and suicidal behaviour, and medicalization oriented)
flaw the understanding of suicidal behaviour from social and cultural perspective. Despite the growing strand of studies aimed to
identify cultural factors of suicidal behaviour, the actors’ perspective remains under researched. Alternatively, Bourdieu’s concept of
habitus is proposed and subsequently expanded and specified it into ethnic habitus to capture the specific ethnic factors of in female
migrant adolescents’ suicidal behaviour.
Methodological &Theoretical Orientation: The ethnic habitus of Dutch Hindustanis is explored to detect cultural elements which
pertain to suicidal behaviour. This group is ideally suited to demonstrate the usefulness of the concept of ethnic habitus in suicidology.
This group hails from Suriname (former Dutch colony), originating in India. They differ from western culture in terms of historical
background, family relationships, cultural norms and values, religion, views on death and life, and most importantly, in the prevalence
of suicidal behaviour. Both scientific literature and non-scientific reports and documents are explored, as well as several cultural
expressions, such as oral history, proverbs and sayings, and popular songs and films.
Findings: Four major fields are found where Hindustani ethnic habitus is conveyed: gender specific and religious socialization,
cultural images, and communication.
Conclusion & Significance: Ethnic habitus renders to examine the primary and secondary socialization that consciously and
unconsciously contribute to suicidal behaviour. The existing Hindustani habitus contains different embodied cultural, historical and
religious attitudes and belief about suicidal behaviour, which are internalized and transferred over time as an acceptable outlet. The
concept seems suitable to apply on other cultural groups as well.
Biography
Indra Boedjarath has her expertise in mental health care of migrants in Netherland. As a Psychotherapist, she runs her own psychotherapy practice and works at
an institution for children’s and adolescents’ mental health care. She always combined her clinical work with management, among others as the former Managing
Director of Mikado, the Dutch center of expertise on transcultural health care. In addition to her work as a Psychotherapist, she is as an external PhD candidate
working on a research: cultural aspects of suicidal behaviour. On regularly basis, she gives lectures, provides supervision, and speaks at international conferences
on various cultural and social themes within the mental health care.
Indra Boedjarath, J Child Adolesc Behav 2017, 5:5(Suppl)
DOI: 10.4172/2375-4494-C1-002