Cultural narratives, social norms, and psychological stigma: a study of mental health help-seeking behavior in Peshawar, Pakistan

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60460709%3A41110%2F25%3A106277" target="_blank" >RIV/60460709:41110/25:106277 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1560460/full" target="_blank" >https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1560460/full</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1560460" target="_blank" >10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1560460</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Cultural narratives, social norms, and psychological stigma: a study of mental health help-seeking behavior in Peshawar, Pakistan

Original language description

Introduction Mental health stigma remains a major barrier to accessing psychiatric care worldwide, with pronounced effects in culturally traditional societies such as Peshawar, Pakistan. In the Pashtun cultural context, the code of Pashtunwali-an honor-based system-shapes social attitudes and behaviors, potentially influencing mental health help-seeking patterns. This study examines how cultural narratives, social norms, and stigma interact to affect help-seeking behavior in this sociocultural setting.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a stratified random sample of 400 adults aged 19 years and above in Peshawar. Data were collected using culturally validated instruments, including the Mental Illness Stigma Scale (MISS) and a Social Norms Scale. Bivariate analyses employed simple linear regression and binary logistic regression to examine individual relationships between variables. Multivariate analyses, including multiple linear regression and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), were used to assess combined effects and mediation pathways.Results Cultural narratives had a positive impact on help-seeking behavior, explaining 42% of its variance. Stigma showed a significant negative association, decreasing help-seeking likelihood by 26% for each unit increase. Social norms demonstrated a positive association with help-seeking behavior and indirectly reduced stigma. Collectively, these variables accounted for 68% of the variance in help-seeking likelihood.Discussion The findings highlight the pivotal role of culturally resonant narratives and supportive social norms rooted in Pashtunwali in improving mental health service utilization. Addressing stigma while reinforcing positive cultural frameworks can substantially enhance help-seeking behavior in Peshawar and similar sociocultural contexts.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

30215 - Psychiatry

Project

—

Continuities

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY

ISSN

1664-0640

e-ISSN

1664-0640

Volume of the periodical

16

Issue of the periodical within the volume

neuvedeno

Country of publishing house

CH - SWITZERLAND

Number of pages

17

Pages from-to

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UT code for WoS article

001562277700001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105014805831