From Ritual Mourning to Solitary Grief: Reinterpretation of Hindu Death Rituals in India

This paper considers the way the outbreak of coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown has egregiously impeded the Hindu death ceremonies and mourning rituals in India. It makes a comparative analysis of how Hindu death rituals get renegotiated, modified and reinterpreted across two vastly different regions of India, both of which have their local customs. Whilst death rituals in India are contingent on the deceased's caste, community, class, gender and age, the impediment to the major death rituals creates a central conundrum for all mourners. It results from the substitution of 'sacred' ritual guidelines with new 'profane' ones for the 'disposal' of deceased COVID-19 patients. Departure from many significant pre-liminal rites, specific transition rites, and post-liminal rites has eschatological, ritual and cultural ramifications. The inability to grieve in unison during a Shraddh ceremony denies mourners any scope to quell distressing feelings about mortality which serves as a source of consolation.

Integration as the goal of indigenization: The cross-cultural psychology of Durganand Sinha

Durganand Sinha (1922-1998) was an important Indian cross-cultural psychologist whose research spanned half a century. In commemoration of Sinha's passing 25 years ago, I explore in this essay his vision of the integration of Hindu religious psychology and Western scientific psychology. In the first part of the discussion, I consider a brief history of the interaction between Indian cultures and Western scientific psychology. In the second part, I next consider the proposal of Sinha that outlines various approaches that researchers might take with respect to the indigenization of scientific psychology. In the third part, I consider Sinha's discussion of integration as the expected outcome of the process of indigenization. Sinha indicates that when a researcher establishes a successful integrated cultural research paradigm in this way, it can serve as a framework for future researchers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Playing God? Religious Perspectives on Manipulating the Genome

The Human Genome Project (HGP) is a remarkable medical science breakthrough that enables the understanding of genetics and the intervention of human health. An individual's health is influenced by physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and religious factors. Among these, religious beliefs shape our thinking on cloning, stem cells, and gene editing, affecting healthcare decisions and the motivation for seeking treatment. Is the human genome sacred? Does editing it violate the idea that we're made in God's image or allow us to "play God"? Understanding the perspectives behind the fundamental religious doctrines of Islam, Christian, Hindu, and Buddhist on gene editing/therapy in somatic and germline cells would ensure a right balance between geneticists and theologians in providing the best healthcare while catering to individual beliefs.

'You don't just do it because someone else said so': Menstrual practices and women's agency in the Hindu diaspora of Trinidad

Meanings of menstruation are deeply embedded in culture and religion. The current dominant narrative presents menstrual practices as restrictions and often describes Hindu women as 'subjected to' these practices, characterising them as the oppressed victims of their religion. This article seeks to complicate this oversimplified narrative by exploring women's motivations, choices and decisions related to menstrual practices in a small-scale study based on semi-structured interviews and focus groups with women in the Hindu-Trinidadian diaspora. Our findings indicate that the women we interviewed exercise agency in the cognitive, emotional, religious and socio-cultural spheres. Many of them accept the ritual 'impurity' but overwhelmingly restrict this label to the spiritual sphere and separate it from their menstruating bodies. Many reject the idea that the practices are restrictive or stigmatising. They do not understand religion as the source of menstrual stigma but instead value or accept menstrual practices as part of what it means to be a Hindu woman-motivated by religious observance and/or the desire to be part of a community that upholds tradition. These varied manifestations of women's agency challenge the understanding of menstrual practices as necessarily-and-always oppressive and call for acknowledging the nuance and complexity of women's lives.

COVID-19, Moral Injury and the Bhagvad Gita

During life challenging times like the present COVID-19 pandemic, the health care worker (HCW) is faced with a number of questions of an existential nature. There is a sense of guilt, anguish, helplessness, uncertainty and powerlessness when one is fighting something on such a powerful scale with limited resources and no definite end in sight. There are circumstances when these feelings can overwhelm a person leading to demoralization and potentially a moral injury. Spiritual practices and advice may help to deal with moral paradoxes and ethical dilemmas when other secular supports are undermined or inaccessible. The Holy Indian Epic, the Bhagvad Gita has described the moral distress of the warrior Arjuna, during the battle of Kurukshetra and the advice given to him by the Lord Krishna the gist of which can be encapsulated in the form of the four Ds- Detachment, Duty, Doer-ship and Dhyana or meditation. In this article, the authors explore how these concepts may be useful aids to the HCW faced with moral and psychological distress.

Religion and Caregiving for Orphans and Vulnerable Children: A Qualitative Study of Caregivers Across Four Religious Traditions and Five Global Contexts

Studies of caregivers of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) rarely examine the role religion plays in their lives. We conducted qualitative interviews of 69 caregivers in four countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Cambodia, and India (Hyderabad and Nagaland), and across four religious traditions: Christian (Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant), Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu. We asked respondents to describe the importance of religion for their becoming a caregiver, the way in which religion has helped them make sense of why children are orphans, and how religion helps them face the challenges of their occupation. Using qualitative descriptive analysis, three major themes emerged. Respondents discussed how religion provided a strong motivation for their work, reported that religious institutions were often the way in which they were introduced to caregiving as an occupation, and spoke of the ways religious practices sustain them in their work. They rarely advanced religion as an explanation for why OVC exist-only when pressed did they offer explicitly religious accounts. This study has implications for OVC care, including the importance of engaging religious institutions to support caregivers, the significance of attending to local religious context, and the vital need for research outside of Christian contexts.

Developmental dyslexia in Hindi readers: Is consistent sound-symbol mapping an asset in reading? Evidence from phonological and visuospatial working memory

Phonological processing deficit is a hallmark of developmental dyslexia indicating a core cognitive dysfunction. Importance of working memory in reading and its association with the tasks measuring phonological processing is also debated in research. The present study investigates the role of working memory, phonological, and orthographic processing in Hindi-speaking dyslexic children (22 dyslexic and 23 control, of Grade 4). Hindi has a consistent symbol-sound mapping with an extensive list of visually complex graphemes. Although consistent symbol-sound mapping facilitates reading, graphemic complexity has its cost on memory. A range of tasks measuring phonological processing, working memory, and orthographic knowledge was designed and administered. Dyslexic children scored significantly lower than controls not only on working memory tasks but also on the tasks of phonological processing and orthographic knowledge. Moreover, the difference in working memory between dyslexic and normal children was more pronounced with increased task complexity. These results highlight complex relationships between working memory, phonological and orthographic processing together with visual attentional processing in Hindi, that contribute to the reading deficits encountered by children with dyslexia. Their respective contributions are considered in the discussion with some of the visual and phonological features of Hindi orthography and their associated effects in reading.

Are Happiness and Life Satisfaction Different Across Religious Groups? Exploring Determinants of Happiness and Life Satisfaction

This study explores whether different religions experience different levels of happiness and life satisfaction and in case this is affected by country economic and cultural environment. Using World Value Survey (from 1981 to 2014), this study found that individual religiosity and country level of development play a significant role in shaping people's subjective well-being (SWB). Protestants, Buddhists and Roman Catholic were happier and most satisfied with their lives compared to other religious groups. Orthodox has the lowest SWB. Health status, household's financial satisfaction and freedom of choice are means by which religious groups and governments across the globe can improve the SWB of their citizens.

The Boundaries of Trust: Cross-Religious and Cross-Ethnic Field Experiments in Mauritius

Several prominent evolutionary theories contend that religion was critical to the emergence of large-scale societies and encourages cooperation in contemporary complex groups. These theories argue that religious systems provide a reliable mechanism for finding trustworthy anonymous individuals under conditions of risk. In support, studies find that people displaying cues of religious identity are more likely to be trusted by anonymous coreligionists. However, recent research has found that displays of religious commitment can increase trust across religious divides. These findings are puzzling from the perspective that religion emerges to regulate coalitions. To date, these issues have not been investigated outside of American undergraduate samples nor have studies considered how religious identities interact with other essential group-membership signals, such as ancestry, to affect intergroup trust. Here, we address these issues and compare religious identity, ancestry, and trust among and between Christians and Hindus living in Mauritius. Ninety-seven participants rated the trustworthiness of faces, and in a modified trust game distributed money among these faces, which varied according to religious and ethnic identity. In contrast to previous research, we find that markers of religious identity increase monetary investments only among in-group members and not across religious divides. Moreover, out-group religious markers on faces of in-group ancestry decrease reported trustworthiness. These findings run counter to recent studies collected in the United States and suggest that local socioecologies influence the relationships between religion and trust. We conclude with suggestions for future research and a discussion of the challenges of conducting field experiments with remote populations.

From rakhi to romance: negotiating 'acceptable' relationships in co-educational secondary schools in New Delhi, India

Based on a multi-method study conducted with middle-class young people (aged 15-17) in three secondary schools in New Delhi, India, this paper focuses on heterosocial dynamics within school peer cultures as an important site of learning about gender and sexuality. Findings indicate that young people negotiate and adapt rakhi (brother-sister) relationships to form less strictly platonic heterosocial friendships, which leave open the possibility of romance. Students' preferences for certain heterosocial relationships are considered within the context of wider cultural narratives. For example, students often rejected rakhi relationships, tied to traditional, conservative values, in favour of heterosocial friendships associated with more modern and desirable social patterns. Moreover, students' own definitions of acceptable heterosocial interactions within peer cultures suggest that they are adept at negotiating norms of gender segregation that are enforced in co-educational schools. In contrast to other formal and informal sources of sexual learning available to them, experiences and stories of romances circulating in schools seemed to offer students alternative, more positive ways of understanding teenage intimacy and sexuality.

The Association of Religious Affiliation with Overweight/Obesity Among South Asians: The Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) Study

Religiosity has been associated with greater body weight. Less is known about South Asian religions and associations with weight. Cross-sectional analysis of the MASALA study (n = 906). We examined associations between religious affiliation and overweight/obesity after controlling for age, sex, years lived in the USA, marital status, education, insurance status, health status, and smoking. We determined whether traditional cultural beliefs, physical activity, and dietary pattern mediated this association. The mean BMI was 26 kg/m². Religious affiliation was associated with overweight/obesity for Hindus (OR 2.12; 95 % CI: 1.16, 3.89), Sikhs (OR 4.23; 95 % CI: 1.72, 10.38), and Muslims (OR 2.79; 95 % CI: 1.14, 6.80) compared with no religious affiliation. Traditional cultural beliefs (7 %), dietary pattern (1 %), and physical activity (1 %) mediated 9 % of the relationship. Interventions designed to promote healthy lifestyle changes to reduce the burden of overweight/obesity among South Asians need to be culturally and religiously tailored.

The Suicide Paradigm: Insights from Ancient Hindu Scriptures

The world religions in general promote peace and happiness. They strongly discourage all sorts of violence in society including suicide. Religious commitments toward life-saving value are known to prevent suicide attempts since all world religions promote unity, reducing interpersonal hostilities. Therefore, understanding the basics on what religious scriptures narrate on life and death including suicide is essential. This paper highlights the seldom discussed topic on the concept and consequences of suicide portrayed in the ancient Hindu religious scriptures.

Influence of Religion on Attitude Towards Suicide: An Indian Perspective

This cross-sectional survey was aimed to compare attitudes towards suicide and suicidal behaviour among randomly selected sample (N = 172) belonged to Hindu and Muslim religions. Data were collected through face-to-face interview. Hindus differed from Muslims regarding suicidal attempts among family (χ (2) = 12.356, p < .002) and community members (χ (2) = 20.425, p < .000). Our study also showed that suicidal behaviours were comparatively low among Muslim participants than Hindus. Further, Muslims hold more negative attitudes towards suicide than Hindus. An enhanced understanding of attitudes towards suicide among general population may be crucial to plan educational, intervention and prevention programs.

A Positive Psychology Intervention in a Hindu Community: The Pilot Study of the Hero Lab Curriculum

India has high rates of mental health issues among its youth and low-income communities experience a disproportionate amount of depression and suicide. Positive psychology, the act of promoting well-being, could be used as a tool to promote wellness and help improve the mental health of youth living in slum areas of India. A pilot positively psychology program, "The Hero Lab", was conducted in a migratory slum in Worli, Mumbai, with trained Hindu community leaders implementing the interventions toward at-risk Hindu youth. The curriculum's impact showed statistical improvement (p < 0.001) in happiness (General Happiness Scale from 11.24 ± 1.56 to 19.08 ± 3.32), grit (Grit Survey from 2.23 ± 0.34 to 3.24 ± 0.67), empathy (Toronto Empathy Questionnaire from 24.92 ± 3.27 to 41.96 ± 8.41), and gratitude (Gratitude Survey from 16.88 ± 3.47 to 27.98 ± 6.59). While a pilot study, the Hero Lab curriculum demonstrates that positive psychology interventions may be an important tool in improving mental health in at-risk children.

The Experiences and Needs of Gujarati Hindu Patients and Partners in the First Month after a Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND

South Asian people living in the United Kingdom are at increased risk of coronary heart disease, have higher mortality rates and are less likely to be treated when compared to the white population. There is, however, little information about the experiences and needs of this group after discharge from hospital.

AIMS

To explore the experiences and needs of Gujarati Hindu patients and their partners in the first month after a myocardial infarction.

METHODS

Using a qualitative research approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted by a Gujarati-speaking researcher with 35 patients and their partners at home during early convalescence.

RESULTS

A number of categories emerged from the data which pertained to a lack of information and advice, poor performance of activity, little lifestyle adjustment, poor expectations, lack of future plans, strong family support, dissatisfaction with the family doctor, and a significant belief in fate.

CONCLUSION

Experiences and health care needs of Gujarati Hindu patients with myocardial infarction appear different to those of non-Asians. Cardiac aftercare and rehabilitation services should take account of such information

Manifestation, Attribution, and Coping With Depression Among Asian Indians From the Perspectives of Health Care Practitioners

The study explores cultural influences on depression and care outcomes among Asian Indians with depression. Data were collected from interviews of 23 multidisciplinary mental health professionals and retrospective review of 20 medical records of patients. Findings revealed a major influence of social and cultural context in expression of symptoms, illness attribution, help-seeking behaviors, and communication patterns. Religious beliefs and social stigma attached to mental illness contributed to prolonged denial of condition, difficulty in sharing emotional problems with professional caregivers, and delayed professional intervention. The traditional family hierarchy rooted in age and gender inequality interfered with help-seeking behaviors and adherence to prescribed regimen as well as heightened some family conflicts and hindered family adaptation after migration to the United States.

Oral cancer awareness in young South-Asian communities in London

OBJECTIVES

First, to evaluate awareness of oral cancer amongst the young South-Asian community in London and identify any aspects of knowledge about oral cancer that are lacking; and, second, to determine whether demographic factors or health-related behaviours are associated with knowledge of oral cancer.

RESEARCH DESIGN

Cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

PARTICIPANTS

South Asians aged 18-44 years attending community centres or places of worship in London.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Oral cancer awareness; health-related behaviours.

RESULTS

Respondents (n = 201) were mainly male (61%), Indian (77%) and Hindu (35%). Over half (58%; n = 113) had one or more negative health-related behaviours and only 18% had attended a dentist in the previous two years. Chewing paan with betel nut (OR = 4.08, 95% CI = 1.58-10.59, p < 0.01), and time since last visit to a dentist (OR = 4.90, 95% CI = 2.13-11.28, p < 0.01) were independently associated with respondents level of knowledge of mouth cancer; the former positively and the latter negatively.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that young adults in the South Asian Community are exposed to a number of risk factors for oral cancer yet have poor knowledge of the implications of these health-related behaviours, and ways in which oral cancer can be detected earlier. The survey highlighted specific issues for action.

Sacred rivers: their spiritual significance in Hindu religion

The ancient civilizations in India, China, Egypt and Mesopotamia have flourished due to large rivers that provided water for agriculture over millennia. Egypt was able to grow well because of the Nile. Similarly, Mesopotamia had two rivers namely the Tigris and the Euphrates. Likewise, India and China have several great rivers that continue to support the agrarian culture. This article discusses the sacred significance of rivers in the ancient and contemporary Indian culture with examples from popular Hindu scriptures. It also presents the ancient model of an eco-friendly check dam and its modern application with potential to mitigate future water-related problems across the drylands of India and elsewhere.

Materialism and life satisfaction: the role of religion

This study examines the role of religion and religiosity in the relationship between materialism and life satisfaction. The findings suggests that religion may be a key factor in understanding differences in findings of previous studies regarding the inverserelationship found in the vast majority of previous studies. Based on a large-scale study in Malaysia—a country comprised of several religious subcultures (mainly Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus), the findings suggest that the influence of religiosity on materialism and life satisfaction is stronger among Malays than among Chinese and Indians, and life satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between religiosity and materialism. The paper discusses implications for theory development and further research.

Hinduism and death with dignity: historic and contemporary case examples

An estimated 1.2 to 2.3 million Hindus live in the United States. End-of-life care choices for a subset of these patients may be driven by religious beliefs. In this article, we present Hindu beliefs that could strongly influence a devout person's decisions about medical care, including end-of-life care. We provide four case examples (one sacred epic, one historical example, and two cases from current practice) that illustrate Hindu notions surrounding pain and suffering at the end of life. Chief among those is the principle of karma, through which one reaps the benefits and penalties for past deeds. Deference to one's spouse or family is another important Hindu value, especially among Hindu women, which can impact the decision-making process and challenge the Western emphasis on autonomy. In addition, the Hindu embrace of astrology can lead to a desire to control the exact time of death. Confounding any generalizations, a Hindu patient may reject or accept treatments based on the individual patient's or family's interpretation of any given tradition. Through an awareness of some of the fundamental practices in Hinduism and the role of individual interpretation within the tradition, clinicians will be better able to support their Hindu patients and families at the end of life.

'This is a natural process': managing menstrual stigma in Nepal

Menstrual stigma has been demonstrated in many societies. However, there is little research on menstrual attitudes in South Asia, despite religiously-based menstrual restrictions imposed on women. To understand menstrual stigma in this context, we conducted qualitative research with women in Nepal. Nepali Hinduism forbids menstruating women to enter a temple or kitchen, share a bed with a husband or touch a male relative. During menstruation, women are 'untouchable'. There has been virtually no research on how Nepali women make meaning of these practices. The current study employed focus groups and individual interviews to understand how some Nepali women experience menarche and menstrual stigma. We explored how women describe their experiences and the strategies they adopt to manage age-old stigma in a rapidly modernising society where they have multiple roles as workers, wives and mothers. Participants reported they experienced menarche with little preparation, which caused distress, and were subjected to ongoing stigmatisation as menstruating women. They described coping strategies to reduce the effects of this stigma. This study provides a unique perspective on coping with menstrual stigma in South Asia.

South African Hindu psychologists' perceptions of mental illness

Conceptualisations of mental illness are not universally applicable, as culture shapes the expression, perceptions and treatment preferences thereof. By focusing on the perceptions of Hindu psychologists regarding mental illness, this study aimed to provide a deeper understanding of the impact that religious beliefs have on such conceptualisations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six Hindu psychologists around the Johannesburg area, South Africa. Responses were analysed using thematic content analysis. From the findings, it was evident that religion plays a critical role in the understanding and treatment of mental illness. Hindu beliefs around psychological disturbances were salient. Additionally, it was found that a tension existed between psychologists' awareness of the influential function of religion, particularly amongst collectivistic communities such as the Hindu community, and their occupational understandings and practices, which are deeply rooted in Western thought. Furthermore, it was suggested that the fear of stigma prevented Hindu clients from reaping the benefits of seeking help from culturally competent psychologists.

The acceptability among young Hindus and Muslims of actively ending the lives of newborns with genetic defects

AIM

To explore the views in non-Western cultures about ending the lives of damaged newborns.

METHOD

254 university students from India and 150 from Kuwait rated the acceptability of ending the lives of newborns with genetic defects in 54 vignettes consisting of all combinations of four factors: gestational age (term or 7 months); severity of genetic defect (trisomy 21 alone, trisomy 21 with serious morphological abnormalities or trisomy 13 with impending death); the parents' attitude about prolonging care (unknown, in favour or opposed); and the procedure used (withholding treatment, withdrawing it or injecting a lethal substance).

RESULTS

Four clusters were identified by cluster analysis and subjected to analysis of variance. Cluster I, labelled 'Never Acceptable', included 4% of the Indians and 59% of the Kuwaitis. Cluster II, 'No Firm Opinion', had little variation in rating from one scenario to the next; it included 38% of the Indians and 18% of the Kuwaitis. In Cluster III, 'Parents' Attitude+Severity+Procedure', all three factors affected the ratings; it was composed of 18% of the Indians and 16% of the Kuwaitis. Cluster IV was called 'Severity+Parents' Attitude' because these had the strongest impact; it was composed of 40% of the Indians and 7% of the Kuwaitis.

CONCLUSIONS

In accordance with the teachings of Islam versus Hinduism, Kuwaiti students were more likely to oppose ending a newborn's life under all conditions, Indian students more likely to favour it and to judge its acceptability in light of the different circumstances.

The fire-walker's high: affect and physiological responses in an extreme collective ritual

How do people feel during extreme collective rituals? Despite longstanding speculation, few studies have attempted to quantify ritual experiences. Using a novel pre/post design, we quantified physiological fluctuations (heart rates) and self-reported affective states from a collective fire-walking ritual in a Mauritian Hindu community. Specifically, we compared changes in levels of happiness, fatigue, and heart rate reactivity among high-ordeal participants (fire-walkers), low-ordeal participants (non-fire-walking participants with familial bonds to fire-walkers) and spectators (unrelated/unknown to the fire-walkers). We observed that fire-walkers experienced the highest increase in heart rate and reported greater happiness post-ritual compared to low-ordeal participants and spectators. Low-ordeal participants reported increased fatigue after the ritual compared to both fire-walkers and spectators, suggesting empathetic identification effects. Thus, witnessing the ritualistic suffering of loved ones may be more exhausting than experiencing suffering oneself. The findings demonstrate that the level of ritual involvement is important for shaping affective responses to collective rituals. Enduring a ritual ordeal is associated with greater happiness, whereas observing a loved-one endure a ritual ordeal is associated with greater fatigue post-ritual.

Anasakti, the Hindu ideal, and its relationship to well-being and orientations to happiness

Anasakti, a Sanskrit term for traits like non-attachment, equipoise, selfless duty orientation, and effort in the absence of concern for the outcome, can be regarded as a Hindu-ideal cluster of personality traits. The relationship of Anasakti with well-being and the three distinct happiness orientations was explored through a study of 676 college students and a sample of 65 yogic practitioners in India. The findings revealed that the yogic practitioners were markedly higher in Anasakti than the secular population. For the yogic population, there was a large correlation between Anasakti and the Orientation to Meaningful Life, and it accounted for more than 20% of the variance in the regression of Anasakti against all the measures of well-being. The yogic population's scores also correlated with several other measures of well-being. The scores of the secular population were less strongly related to the well-being scores; though, several correlation coefficients were statistically significant.

Mahātmā Gandhi's view on euthanasia and assisted suicide

To many in India and elsewhere, the life and thoughts of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi are a source of inspiration. The idea of non-violence was pivotal in his thinking. In this context, Gandhi reflected upon the possibility of what is now called 'euthanasia' and 'assisted suicide'. So far, his views on these practices have not been properly studied. In his reflections on euthanasia and assisted suicide, Gandhi shows himself to be a contextually flexible thinker. In spite of being a staunch defender of non-violence, Gandhi was aware that violence may sometimes be unavoidable. Under certain conditions, killing a living being could even be an expression of non-violence. He argued that in a few rare cases it may be better to kill people who are suffering unbearably at the end of life. In this way, he seems to support euthanasia and assisted suicide. Yet, Gandhi also thought that as long as care can be extended to a dying patient, his or her suffering could be relieved. Since in most cases relief was thus possible, euthanasia and assisted suicide were in fact redundant. By stressing the importance of care and nursing as an alternative to euthanasia and assisted suicide, Gandhi unconsciously made himself an early advocate of palliative care in India. This observation could be used to strengthen and promote the further development of palliative care in India.

An Indian adaptation of the Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire: similarities and differences in assessment of caregiver burden

OBJECTIVES

The Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire (IEQ) is a comprehensive, conceptually valid and reliable means of assessing caregiver burden. However, its psychometric properties have rarely been examined in non-European settings. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of an Indian translation of the IEQ (Hindi-IEQ).

METHODS

The European Union (English) version of IEQ was translated into Hindi and reviewed by a group of experts and caregivers for translation accuracy, cultural appropriateness, and for relevance and acceptability of items and constructs. The Hindi-IEQ was then administered to 162 primary caregivers of patients with severe mental illnesses. Eighteen caregivers completed both the English and Hindi versions to check the level of agreement between them. Another 27 completed the Hindi-IEQ twice, a week apart, to evaluate its test-retest reliability. Factor structure of the Hindi-IEQ was examined using an exploratory, principal components and factor analysis.

RESULTS

Pearson's correlation coefficients were significant for 24 items, while intraclass correlation coefficients were significant for 28 of the 31 items (P < 0.05), indicating a satisfactory level of agreement between the Hindi and English versions. Test-retest reliability for all items of the Hindi-IEQ was adequate, with kappa values ranging from 0.46 to 0.95 and intraclass correlation coefficients from 0.76 to 1.00. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.89) and the split-half reliability (Spearman-Brown coefficient = 0.68) of the Hindi-IEQ were also satisfactory. However, several differences were noted in the factor structure and distribution of scores of the Hindi-IEQ, which were quite unlike that of the European Union version.

CONCLUSIONS

The similarities and differences between the 2 versions of the IEQ indicated that sociocultural factors could influence assessment of caregiver burden across different cultures.

Suttee Sainthood through selflessness: pain of repression or power of devotion?

The immolation of Hindu widows has generated much horror while remaining tenaciously mixed with clandestine admiration. Reported in many eyewitness accounts and literary works, the topic has given rise to highly contested sociocultural, legal and ideological debates, strongly linked to women’s rights. But the root question has not gone away: is suttee/sati just painful female victimisation or can it also reflect powerful female agency and the power of devotion? This article examines two literary works, Maud Diver’s Lilamani, in which an Englishwoman unreservedly idolises a suttee, and Krupabai Satthianadhan’s Kamala, where an Indian woman expresses deep pride in sutteehood. Engaging in a search for deeper meanings, this article asks what makes these two women writers revere a suttee so totally. Can one really be a suttee-saint through selflessness, or are there some deeper meanings yet to be uncovered? A wider political interpretation is suggested to re/present the root meaning of suttee.

Social ecology of child soldiers: child, family, and community determinants of mental health, psychosocial well-being, and reintegration in Nepal

This study employed a social ecology framework to evaluate psychosocial well-being in a cross-sectional sample of 142 former child soldiers in Nepal. Outcome measures included the Depression Self Rating Scale (DSRS), Child Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale (CPSS), and locally developed measures of functional impairment and reintegration. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the contribution of factors at multiple levels. At the child level, traumatic exposures, especially torture, predicted poor outcomes, while education improved outcomes. At the family level, conflict-related death of a relative, physical abuse in the household, and loss of wealth during the conflict predicted poor outcomes. At the community level, living in high caste Hindu communities predicted lack of reintegration supports. Ultimately, social ecology is well suited to identify intervention foci across ecological levels based on community differences in vulnerability and protective factors.

Impact of culture on healthcare seeking behavior of Asian Indians

Healthcare seeking behavior is a dynamic process that evolves through the stages of self evaluation of symptoms, self treatment, seeking professional advice and acting on professional advice. (Weaver, 1970) This article explores the influence of culture at each of these stages in the context of Asian Indian culture. Although Asian-Indians constitute only 1.5% of the US population they are among the fastest growing minorities in the United States. Through the example of Asian Indian culture this article informs the clinicians that at the initial visit they should explore what the symptoms mean to the patient and what modalities including complementary and alternative (CAM) were used by the patient to address them and at subsequent visits they should explore how their advise was filtered through the prism of the patient's culture and what was adhered to and what was not. In the case of disability and death the clinicians should explore religious beliefs such as karma that help the patient in coping.

Grasping at ontological straws: overcoming reductionism in the Advaita Vedānta-Neuroscience dialogue

Contemporary neuropsychology reveals that the parietal lobe contains neurons that are specifically attuned to the act of grasping and this act may be fundamental to the establishment of the phenomenal boundaries between subject and object. Furthermore, alterations to this process, such as the hypoactivation of this region during meditation or the hyperactivation associated with schizophrenia, may eliminate or confuse, respectively, the phenomenal boundaries between subject and object. Traversing disciplines, the Advaita Vedānta school of Hinduism traces some of its key terms for subject and object to the verbal root grah, to grasp. The subject is literally the grasper. Furthermore, the practice of asparśa yoga, the yoga of no-touch, is aimed at stopping, hypoactivating, the grasping process in order to transcend all subject-object boundaries. This paper will argue that while we have not uncovered an identity of thought, we have uncovered a confluence of ideas between these two disciplines. We will see that this confluence of ideas has not pitted the believer against the critic-not forced us into the great reductionism debate that has dominated so much of the interchange between religious studies and the sciences. This case study will illuminate some of the methodological ways around this reductionism battle and also the boundaries of both disciplines for the intellectual benefit of each.

Care of patients who have died

This article outlines the steps involved in preparing the patient after death--known as last offices. It addresses legal and non-legal issues, religious considerations, hygiene care and aftercare for the family.

Requesting perinatal autopsy: multicultural considerations

The subject of perinatal autopsy is not frequently seen in the literature. Perinatal loss, particularly stillbirth, frequently remains unexplained, despite current technology and diagnostic procedures. Parents may automatically refuse an autopsy, despite the potentially valuable information it could provide about the current pregnancy and subsequent pregnancies and despite the possible comfort the results could provide for relatives. Other reasons for declining an autopsy could be cultural or religious prohibitions. In addition, healthcare providers sometimes lack the knowledge of circumstances under which a postmortem examination is permitted, and fail to use culturally sensitive and culturally competent discussions about the reasons a postmortem examination is important and permissible. This purpose of this article is to provide information on selected cultural and religious groups to assist the nurse who is seeking consent for a perinatal autopsy.

Cultural symbolism of fish and the psychotropic properties of omega-3 fatty acids

Fish is a food with unique psychotropic properties. Consumption of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, rich in seafood, reduces depression, aggression and anger while improving mental well-being. We posit that symbols of fish have become linked to the emotional states induced by long-chain fatty acid by associative pairings, both conscious and unconscious. The limbic and hippocampal activity necessary for memory formation containing emotional content and the labeling of social context by cortical processes appears to be optimized by diets rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acid. In this critical literature survey, we find that fish have been culturally labeled as symbols of emotional well-being and social healing in religious and medical practices among independent cultures, for at least six millennia. This understanding of the perception of fish as a symbolically healing or purifying food can assist current messages improving public health.

Management of diabetes in South Asian communities in the UK

This article discusses some of the specific challenges related to the management of diabetes in patients of South Asian origin. Communicating information that considers cultural, religious and language differences is important to promote effective self-management. The South Asian population in the UK is at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and cultural practices such as fasting if not managed properly can lead to deterioration in their condition. The use of appropriate information and educators with Asian language skills and an understanding of the local population's culture are important to improve self-management of diabetes in these patients.

The religious and cultural bases for breastfeeding practices among the Hindus

In Hindu communities, breastfeeding is nearly universal and continues for most children beyond infancy. This review examines the religious and cultural basis for the contemporary breastfeeding practices amongst the Hindu. Practices at the time of birth and feeding rituals like prelacteal feeds, importance and timing of complementary feeds, and protections for the breastfeeding mother are examined from the published medical literature and available religious texts. Hindu Vedic literature and ancient ayurvedic texts underscore the importance of breastfeeding in the Hindu society. Although almost every Hindu child gets some breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding for the recommended duration and early initiation of breastfeeding are not that common. As birth of a baby is a celebration for family and society, breastfeeding is strongly influenced by cultural and religious ceremonies. In today's context, although women may receive guidance from health care professionals, relatives--especially grandmothers--have an important influence on breastfeeding practices.

Determinants of Oregon hospice chaplains' views on physician-assisted suicide

BACKGROUND

Although religiousness is a strong predictor of attitudes towards physician-assisted suicide (PAS), Oregon hospice chaplains express wide variation in their opposition to or support for legalized PAS. We explored factors associated with chaplains' views on PAS.

METHODS

A mailed survey to chaplains from 51 Oregon hospices.

RESULTS

Fifty of 77 eligible hospice chaplains (65%) returned surveys. Views on PAS were associated with views on suicide in general. Moral and theological beliefs were the most important influences on views on PAS. Chaplains who were opposed to PAS believed that God alone may take life, that life is an absolute good, and that suffering has a divine purpose. Those who supported PAS placed emphasis on the importance of self-determination and sanctity of life as defined by quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

Oregon hospice chaplains' diverse views towards PAS are closely related to their views on suicide in general, and their personal and theological beliefs.

Faith in transplants

The number of people needing organ transplants outstrips supply--and this is particularly acute in black and minority ethnic groups. A reluctance to talk about the possibility of donation after death is coupled with misconceptions about religious teaching on the subject.

Pervasive Muslim-Hindu fertility differences in India

Using the 1993 Indian Family and Health Survey, we examined Muslim-Hindu differences in (1) the parity-specific intent to have another child and (2) given a stated intent for no more children, reports of the current use of contraceptives. We found that Muslims are much more likely than Hindus to intend to have additional children and, among those who do not want more children, Muslims are much less likely than Hindus to use contraceptives. These findings are robust to model specification and pervasive across the states of India. This national study provides the context within which local studies should be enmeshed and begs for general (as opposed to place-specific) explanations for these pervasive differences.

Understanding different religions when caring for diabetes patients

A significant and accelerating worldwide increase in the incidence of diabetes, coupled with growing population mobility, will lead to an urgent need for all nurses to develop a greater understanding of the role of different cultural and religious beliefs in diabetes control and care. In this article, the author presents a brief overview of the five major religions practised in the UK and the associated beliefs, customs and lifestyle factors that may affect the person with diabetes and his/her compliance with current advice and education with the aim of promoting culturally competent health care.

The damage of separation: Krishna's loves and Kali's child

The publication of Kali's Child by Jeffrey Kripal in 1995 ignited a furious debate that persists unresolved today. Two questions are paramount. First, is it right to think of the religious and erotic realms as overlapping, particularly when a homosexual dimension is involved? Second, if Hindus and Hinduism are the subject, should non-Hindus refrain from speaking? In this article I revisit the Kali's Child debate by highlighting one of its central terms-vyakulata, the desperate agitation felt by lovers separated from the objects of their desire. What light is cast on Ramakrishna's same-sex longing by turning to a broader context: the agitation that male poets feel for Krishna when they speak through the female personae of his gopis? Conversely, what light might Ramakrishna's apparently homoerotic impulses cast on the cross-gendered moods of Krishna's male devotees? And what is one to make of the delight these men feel as they depict the sufferings of Krishna's women? Is this the dark side of Krishna's famously sunny world, and is it also the homosexual shadow of his dominant, flamboyant heterosexuality?

Hindu and Buddhist children, adolescents, and families

The language of psychotherapy that focuses on the individual may be problematic for Hindu and Buddhist families. The focus on child and adolescent development as a separation-individuation process that moves the child into an independent life with individual goals may run contrary to family cultural values and to the Hindu and Buddhist views of interconnectedness. For the Hindu family, however, when therapy can be seen as being compatible with an evolution toward the higher self and is consistent with the shared sense of family belonging, the goals can be complementary. With the fundamental views in Buddhism that suffering derives from emotional and conceptual misunderstandings and from the resultant actions, and that change is necessary to relieve that suffering, therapy and practice may share goals. The spiritual teachings can work alongside the therapeutic work, and the improved functioning is also spiritual growth.