Transcultural Awareness: An Investigation of the Knowledge of Brua  among Psychologists, Psychiatrists and Psychiatrists in Training in the  Netherlands

Background: Brua is an Afro-Caribbean set of spiritual beliefs found on the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao), which are part of the Dutch Antilles. Psychiatric patients from these islands may believe that their mental health is influenced by Brua-related practices. It is therefore important that mental health professionals are knowledgeable of Brua, but it is not yet known to what extent they are. Goal: This study investigated the knowledge of Brua among psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychiatrists in training in The Netherlands. Methods: All psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychiatrists in training in the service of Parnassia Psychiatric Institute were contacted to fill out a tailor-made survey on knowledge of Brua. Sufficient knowledge of Brua was defined as a score of 6 or higher out of 10. Three potential predictors of knowledge of Brua were investigated, namely work experience, ethnicity, and inquiry into religious beliefs in the clinical practice. Results: Out of...Show moreBackground: Brua is an Afro-Caribbean set of spiritual beliefs found on the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao), which are part of the Dutch Antilles. Psychiatric patients from these islands may believe that their mental health is influenced by Brua-related practices. It is therefore important that mental health professionals are knowledgeable of Brua, but it is not yet known to what extent they are. Goal: This study investigated the knowledge of Brua among psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychiatrists in training in The Netherlands. Methods: All psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychiatrists in training in the service of Parnassia Psychiatric Institute were contacted to fill out a tailor-made survey on knowledge of Brua. Sufficient knowledge of Brua was defined as a score of 6 or higher out of 10. Three potential predictors of knowledge of Brua were investigated, namely work experience, ethnicity, and inquiry into religious beliefs in the clinical practice. Results: Out of the 152 participants, 13.2% scored a sufficient score on knowledge of Brua. Work experience did not predict total score on the survey. There were too few participants of non-Caucasian ethnicities to investigate the relationship between ethnicity and knowledge of Brua. Practitioners who often inquired into religious beliefs in the clinical practice did not score higher than practitioners who sometimes inquired into religious beliefs. Conclusion: Knowledge of Brua among psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychiatrists in training in The Netherlands is limited. Informational or educational campaigns on how to assess the role of Brua in clinical practice are recommended.Show less

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Transcultural Awareness: An Investigation of the Knowledge of Brua among Psychologists, Psychiatrists and Psychiatrists in Training in the Netherlands