The Experiences of Sub-Saharan African Migrant Carers and Families of Young People With Emerging Psychosis

Abstract

The experiences of carers play a critical role in shaping the mental health outcomes of young people living with psychosis. However, the perspectives of sub-Saharan African migrant carers remain markedly underrepresented in the literature. Available research has mainly focused on the needs and challenges of individuals with psychosis, with limited or no attention to the experiences and needs of their carers. The lack of literature in this area offers minimal guidance to mental health professionals in understanding the experiences, challenges and needs of this significant and growing carers population. Addressing these gaps is critical to developing a comprehensive understanding of the needs and challenges experienced by sub-Saharan African migrant carers to promote access to culturally appropriate services and enhance the wellbeing of carers and those they support. An integrative literature review was conducted to identify existing published knowledge about the experiences of sub-Saharan African migrant carers of young people with psychosis. Analysis of the 14 identified studies revealed that psychosis in these communities is generally attributed to supernatural forces such as witchcraft, ancestral punishment or divine retribution, which creates significant barriers to accessing formal mental health services. The stigma surrounding mental illness, particularly psychosis, exacerbates these challenges by delaying help-seeking behaviours and contributing to a preference for spiritual and traditional healing methods over biomedical care. The lack of integration of cultural beliefs and practices into mainstream mental health care further compounds these difficulties, leading to underdiagnosis, misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. These findings highlight the need to develop targeted interventions and strategies that acknowledges the perspective of sub-Saharan African migrant carers, reduce systemic barriers and provide access to culturally appropriate mental health services. Future research should explore effective interventions and support mechanisms tailored to the unique needs of sub-Saharan African migrant carers and their families with the aim to improve access to mental health services and enhance treatment outcomes.