文献类型：期刊文献

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

作者：Daraz, Umar[1];Bojnec, Stefan[2,3,4];Khan, Younas[5];Hussain, Zakir[6]

机构：[1]Univ Malakand, Dept Sociol, Chakdara, Pakistan;[2]Univ Primorska, Fac Management, Koper, Slovenia;[3]Slovak Univ Agr, Inst Econ Policy & Finance, Fac Econ & Management, Nitra, Slovakia;[4]Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Fac Econ & Management, Dept Econ, Prague, Czech Republic;[5]East China Univ Sci & Technol, Sch Business, Dept Management Sci & Engn, Shanghai, Peoples R China;[6]Univ Malakand, Dept Social Work, Chakdara, Pakistan

年份：2025

卷号：16

外文期刊名：FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY

收录：;WOS:【SSCI(收录号:WOS:001562277700001)，SCI-EXPANDED(收录号:WOS:001562277700001)】；

语种：英文

外文关键词：cultural narratives; social norms; mental health stigma; psychiatric help; structural equation modeling (SEM)

摘要：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.