“An ox sitting on One’s chest”: Experiences and understandings of common mental health conditions of Turkish-speaking immigrants with lived experience in the UK

AI Summary

Participants described both emotional and physical symptoms, using rich idioms and metaphors, contradicting the stereotype of pure somatisation.
Explanatory models were mainly psychosocial but included biological and traditional elements, reflecting a dynamic, multi-model understanding.
Coping drew on personal, community and religious resources; participants were open to help but distrusted UK services and preferred Turkish-speaking clinicians.

Psychol Psychother. 2026 Jun 5. doi: 10.1111/papt.70084. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Exploring how Turkish-speaking immigrants understand and express common mental health conditions is crucial, as discrepancies in this area have real-life consequences for treatment. Some key concepts to examine within this are the long-standing belief that Turkish-speaking immigrants somatise emotional difficulties and cannot identify them, and that they predominantly rely on traditional explanatory models of mental health. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore how this population experiences, expresses and understands these conditions and to examine their coping resources and help-seeking attitudes.

DESIGN: Qualitative design.

METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in Turkish with 18 Turkish-speaking immigrants who self-identified as having experienced common mental health difficulties. Data were analysed inductively using reflexive thematic analysis within a critical realist framework.

RESULTS: Four themes with ten subthemes were generated: symptom presentation, explanatory models, coping strategies and help-seeking attitudes. Participants reported both emotional and physical symptoms, often expressed through rich idioms and metaphors. They attributed their distress to upbringing, traumatic events, chronic adversities, discrimination, interpersonal relationships and their own perceived shortcomings. Coping included personal, interpersonal, community and religious resources alongside lay resources. While most participants were open to professional help, all expressed distrust towards UK services and many preferred Turkish-speaking professionals.

CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to popular belief, Turkish-speaking immigrants articulated distress in both emotional and physical terms. Their explanatory model was mainly psychosocial but also included biological and traditional elements, reflecting a dynamic, multi-model approach. Moving beyond reductive stereotypes about Turkish-speaking immigrants and Global South populations is crucial for providing meaningful and effective care.

PMID:42249607 | DOI:10.1111/papt.70084

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