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Cultural adaptations of cognitive behaviour therapy for the Orthodox Jewish community: a qualitative study of therapists’ perspectives

Part of: Being an Anti-Racist CBT therapist

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 January 2021

Chaim Golker Open the ORCID record for Chaim Golker [Opens in a new window]  and
Maria Cristina Cioffi Open the ORCID record for Maria Cristina Cioffi [Opens in a new window]
Chaim Golker
Affiliation:
Department of Social, Therapeutic and Community Studies, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, UK
Maria Cristina Cioffi*
Affiliation:
Department of Social, Therapeutic and Community Studies, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Cultural factors are influential in the prevalence, diagnosis and treatment efficacy of mental health conditions. Although the literature has advanced substantially towards the development of cultural adaptations of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for various minority cultural groups, research into cultural adaptations of CBT for the Orthodox Jewish community has been scarce. This qualitative study interviewed five CBT therapists about their experiences working with clients from the London Orthodox Jewish community and uncovered several key practical implications for the clinical practice of CBT with this client group. This study indicates that CBT is a culturally appropriate psychological treatment for this client group that accords with Orthodox Jewish teachings and religious beliefs. CBT therapists are encouraged to become familiar with Orthodox Jewish cultural practices and beliefs and adopt a culturally sensitive approach to treatment. Despite the reduced mental health stigma within the community, this study recommends that CBT therapists normalise mental health conditions and therapy with Orthodox Jewish clients. Due to the close-knit nature of the community, it is suggested that CBT therapists display heightened confidentiality with this client group. To overcome the mistrust of their Orthodox Jewish clients, CBT therapists are advised to display cultural sensitivity and genuine respect for the Orthodox Jewish way of life, in addition to building a strong therapeutic alliance. Further qualitative research exploring different perspectives is necessary to produce evidence-based guidelines for the cultural adaptation of CBT for the Orthodox Jewish community.

Key learning aims

  1. (1) To explore how CBT therapists work with the religious beliefs and practices of Orthodox Jewish clients.

  2. (2) To discover the challenges faced by Orthodox Jewish clients when accessing psychological treatment.

  3. (3) To consider the ways in which CBT can be culturally adapted to meet the needs of the Orthodox Jewish community.

Keywords

CBTcultureJewishOrthodoxreligiontherapy
Type
Original Research
Information
the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist , Volume 14 , 2021 , e3
Copyright
© British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2021

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References

Further reading

Kada, R. (2019). Cultural adaptations of CBT for the British Jewish Orthodox community. The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, 12, 1–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paradis, C. M., Friedman, S., Hatch, M. L., & Ackerman, R. (1996). Cognitive behavioral treatment of anxiety disorders in Orthodox Jews. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 3, 271–288.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosmarin, D. H., Bocanegra, E. S., Hoffnung, G., & Appel, M. (2019). Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety and depression among Orthodox Jews. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 26, 676–687.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shabtai, D. G., Pirutinsky, S., Rosmarin, D. H., & Ives, Y. (2016). Integrating Judaism into Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. In Ben-Avie, M., Ives, Y., & Loewenthal, K. (eds), Applied Jewish Values in Social Sciences and Psychology (pp. 133–149). Cham, Switzerland: Springer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

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