Mental health interventions mean allowing a person who requires support to obtain it in the way that is most appropriate for it. Mental health intervention is first to develop approaches that work for the population and then evaluate the effectiveness of treatment for people with different needs. Along with this weakness of this approach is the potential inability to quickly adapt treatments for all populations. At the same time, for the intervention to be effective, it is essential to pay attention to the worldview of different people in addition to health factors. This is because social relationships, universal understanding, and worldview are significant in therapeutic practices. Accordingly, unadopted treatment has already led to a distrust of doctors among specific populations. While intervention practices have improved in recent years to account for these factors, the author notes, “ICCTC identifies existing evidence-based treatments that share common elements with AI/AN cultural beliefs and practices” (Bigfoot & Schmidt, 2010, p.849) Thus, it is crucial to develop strategies that would take into account the cultural, social, religious affiliation of the inhabitants of the tribe.
Hence, cooperation with tribal peoples helps define, develop, experiment, and improve the intervention program. As such, it has allowed the formation of consensus on traditional concepts common to most, if not all, tribal communities, such as the extended family, the practice of respect, circle beliefs, and the relationship between spirituality and healing. Studies that have been carried out indicate that the well-being and trust of the tribal people in medicine help the treatment. To improve the effect, relatives of the patient can also be involved in the intervention practice, can sing traditional songs, or conduct healing ceremonies (Bigfoot & Schmidt, 2010). Accordingly, this will permit restoring balance within and reduce emotional stress. Therefore, the author of the article suggests using the customs of the tribe, their methods, and cultural characteristics to enhance the practice of intervention in the field of mental health.
Reference
Bigfoot, D. S., & Schmidt, S. R. (2010). Honoring children, mending the circle: Cultural adaptation of trauma‐focused cognitive‐behavioral therapy for American Indian and Alaska Native children. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 66(8), 847-856.