Page 55 - JCBP-2-1

Journal of Clinical and
Basic Psychosomatics Re-examining PTSD: Insights from Ghanaian culture

(iii) How did you overcome the symptoms after your 3. Results
experience?
(iv) Were there any specific cultural practices and 3.1. Sociodemographic characteristics of
traditional belief systems that you adopted to help participants
you overcome your unusual experience following the All 28 participants were Ghanaians ages 20 – 74 years.
incident? Table 1 depicts the sociodemographic characteristics of
participants. All 20 individuals with PTSD were arranged
Furthermore, a vignette that depicts a traumatic
event which occurred in Ghana on March 7, 2021, was to participate in the interviews while the eight culturally
informed individuals were recruited to participate in the
used to trigger discussions in the focus groups. In that focus group discussions.
event, several young children drowned at the beach in
the Ghanaian town of Apam. The vignette outlined a Among those diagnosed with PTSD, there were three
scenario of a woman who lost her only teenage son university graduates, five undergraduate students, six
during that incident. The woman experienced symptoms senior high school students, and six who had informal
such as anxiety, flashbacks, recurrent stressful dreams, education (and worked as shop attendants and petty
and distressing thought patterns. Participants were traders). The university graduates’ ages ranged between
asked to interpret their understanding of the event and 34 and 42 years old. Three of the university undergraduate
specifically suggest culturally inclined treatments that students were 20 years old and the other two were 23 years
could help in eliminating the symptoms. The questions old. The senior high school students were between
that followed the guide to enhance the group discussions 21 and 48 years old and the ages of the individuals who
are as follow: had informal education ranged between 37 and 62 years
old. Fifteen participants considered themselves Christians,
(i). From your cultural worldview, what caused the while two and three participants associated more with
drowning incident?
(ii). Where are the woman’s symptoms coming from? Islam and traditional religion, respectively. There were
13 women and seven men in the PTSD group.
(iii). Considering your cultural practices, what should
the woman do to reduce or completely deal with the A second group of eight culturally informed participants
unusual behaviors? were recruited to participate in focus group discussions for
the study. It consists of four males and four females. Three
2.8. Data analysis of these participants were university graduates and the
Thematic network analysis, which is a six-step process, was other five had informal education. These participants aged
utilized in this study for data analysis . After familiarizing between 28 and 74. Four participants were Christians, two
[16]
with the data collected, we generated the initial codes (evil were Muslims, and the remaining two were more inclined
spirits, imam bible, Momordica charantia). Using these to the traditional religion. The graduate participants in
codes, the subsequent themes were generated. They were this group worked as teachers in reputable institutions in
reviewed and a report containing thematic maps was
generated. In developing the initial codes, sections that Table 1. Sociodemographic characteristics of participants
were related to the objectives of the study were identified. Sociodemographic Interview (n=20) Focus group
To enhance the credibility of the study, the researchers characteristic discussion (n=8)
used independent coders throughout the coding stage. Age range 20 – 74 years 28 – 74 years
The researchers and independent coders continually peer Education Level 3 university graduates 3 university graduates
checked to refine the codes before developing themes by 5 undergraduates 5 informal education
merging the codes. During this process, codes developed 6 high school graduates students
from the interviews and focus group discussions were 6 informal education
compared to identify commonalities and distinctive students
features to find cluster of themes. Occupation University students 3 teachers
High school graduates 5 traders
Trustworthiness of the data was ensured through Shop attendants
data triangulation using the interviews and focus Petty traders
group discussions. In several instances where a few Religious affiliation 15 Christians 4 Christians
participants provided information in the Akan language, 2 Muslims 2 Muslims
the interviews were transcribed and translated by the 3 traditionalists 2 traditionalists
researchers who are also the native speakers of Akan Gender 13 females 4 females
before coding began. 7 males 4 males

Volume 2 Issue 1 (2024) 3 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcbp.1260