An ethnopsychological ABC framework of psychiatric morbidity to facilitate psychotherapeutic interventions in Nepal
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic can be overwhelming leading to strong emotions and distress. Most studies reported the impact on mental health due to uncertainty, fear, and anxiety about the pandemic and post pandemic states. The sufferers may present with a variety of symptoms of psychological distress. Failure to communicate this psychosocial distress between lay and health care providers may pose barriers to treatment and challenges for integration of mental health into primary health centers. There is a need for tools to screen and explain pandemic associated distress in a way that attending physician can communicate with laymen in a coherent way. The article introduces an ethnopsychologial ABC framework that individual in distress can better understand the nature of the illness. Rather than providing a diagnosis to inexperienced clients of psychiatric morbidity, this method promotes improved communication and bridge the observed gaps. Thus, it helps to raise awareness of the relationship between cultural, emotional, thought, behavior, and psychosocial distress. This article discussed the assessment of the ABC framework with ethnopsycholgical premises and psychotherapeutic intervention at different levels that can be applied.