Year: 2013
Type: dissertation
Abstract: A qualitative, descriptive, explorative, and contextual research design was selected \nfor this study. The purpose was to explore the phenomenon of mass hysteria among \nthe Basotho in Lesotho and to develop guidelines which may facilitate early \nintervention and better management and control of mass hysteria outbreaks. The \nstudy area covered four of the ten districts in Lesotho. Four high schools where \nrecent outbreaks of mass hysteria have been reported were included in the study. \nSemi-structured individual interviews and focus group interviews were conducted to \ncollect the data. Purposive sampling was used to select young women in high \nschools who experienced mass hysteria; teachers who were present during mass \nhysteria episodes; a parent; and traditional healers and religious leaders who were \ninvolved in treating the affected.Thirteen individual interviews were held respectively with one victim of mass hysteria from a rural area, four school principals,a parent,five \ntraditional healers, a priest and apastor. Three focus group interviews were \nconducted with thirty affected young women from three different high schools and \ntwo focus group interviews were held with twenty teachers from two different high \nschools.The data were transcribed verbatim and content analysis was done using \nopen and axial coding. \nFour themes emerged from the findings, namely: manifestations of mass hysteria \namong the Basotho; interventions used by the Basotho to alleviate mass hysteria; \nBasotho’s views about the phenomenon of mass hysteria; and effects of mass \nhysteria onthe Basotho. The findings show that young women in Lesotho experience \nboth physical and psychological symptoms during mass hysteria episodes and that it \nhas a contagious effect. The interventions used by the Basotho to alleviate mass \nhysteria include traditional healing, herbal remedies, exorcism and prayer.The \nBasotho have different views about mass hysteria attributing it to either supernatural \nforces or natural illness. Episodes of mass hysteria have a negative impact on the victims,their families, and those who witnessed the episodes, causing confusion, fear \nand anxiety. \nGuidelines were compiled to assist teachersand health workers to improve the \nmanagement and control of mass hysteria episodes in Lesotho.
Author: Lineo Tsekoa
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: University of Oxford
OpenAlex ID: W1497238397