Perceptions of mental illness among emerging adults who self-identify as Coloured in the Nelson Mandela Bay
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The onset of mental health disorders often occurs in the adolescent and/or young adult stage, as this life stage encompasses several challenges due to relationship and career changes. Emerging adulthood has been demarcated as the period between 18 to 29 years of age, which has been identified as a stressful stage. Despite the challenges that the emerging adult faces, they are less likely to seek help, particularly when comparing them to middle-age or older adults. A possible reason for this is the stigma associated with seeking help, as stigmas negatively influence help-seeking behaviour. It is known that poorer mental health outcomes are linked to ethnic minority groups, and a possible cause is due to the stigma amongst the ethnic minority populations. When considering perceptions of mental illness, there appears a need for research to be conducted to explore cultural and system-level barriers. Considering the proposition that Coloured peoples’ identities are unique due to their heritage and being a minority group, the researcher opted to gather data about the perceptions of mental illness among emerging adults who self-identify as Coloured. The research design employed a qualitative, interpretivism, and ethnographic approach; whereby a purposive and the non-probability strategy was employed. As a result, nine participants who participated in a semi-structured interview made up the sample for this study. The study finds that, while it is the view of the participants that there is resistance within the Coloured community to normalize and fully accept mental illness, there is also a degree of acceptance when individuals have personal experience with it, either directly or through a loved one. Mental illness is recognized as a real issue, though its full complexity is not yet fully understood.
Author: Frieslaar, Bianca Simone
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7220750743