Abstract:
In determining the applicability of western theoretical models of mental illness in Sri Lanka, this study examines whether beliefs about causation of mental illness, focusing on
Depression, of a clinically depressed and non-clinical Sri Lankan population mapped onto
conceptualisations of causation found in these western models. It examines if significant
differences in such beliefs exist between the populations studied, and also according to gender,
age and education.
Beliefs were examined using a Sinhala adaptation of the Opinions about
Psychological Problems Questionnaire comprising subscales representing psychodynamic,
Cognitive, Humanistic, Behavioural, Organic, Socioeconomic and Naive causal models,
amongst a purposive, clinically depressed sample of 31 clients and an equal non-clinical sample
matched for gender, age, and education.
Beliefs about causation reliably mapped onto these models except for the Naive
Model. Positive correlation between models was seen, with higher correlation between
psychologically-oriented models. Both samples agreed with the Psychodynamic and Cognitive
models. There were significant differences in agreement with most models between the
samples with greater orientation towards agreement in the non-clinical sample. No significant
differences were found according to gender and age but were seen for education in two
subscale models
