Problemas de Nervos: A Multivocal Symbol of Distress for Portuguese Immigrants

Abstract

This article outlines research on a previous unstudied form of suffering specific to the Portugese immigrant community: problemas de nervos. Thirty-two Portuguese immigrant women (in Waterloo, ON and Boston, MA) were interviewed and each completed a questionnaire. Cluster analysis demonstrated that problemas de nervos has many meanings. The study profiled symptoms, causes and therapies associated with four variations of this culture-specific form of distress: "mal da cabeca" meaning problems with/in the head (e.g., lack of control, visions); " aflição" meaning affliction (e.g., nervous attacks, heart problems); immigration stress (causing sleep disturbances); and, conflicts with others (resulting in pressure within the body). None of the symptom clusters reported matched criteria for a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis, suggesting that problemas de nervos represents an idiomatic rather than universal expression of distress.

“I go because I don’t have an alternative”: Older Portuguese Immigrant Women’s Experiences Accessing and Using Health Care Services in Toronto

“…James has since expanded her research to another idiom of distress expressed by the Portuguese immigrant community as a wholeproblema de nervos (literally translating into problem of the nerves) (James et al, 2009). This finding is consistent with the idiom of distress used by this study's participants.…”

“…Participants cited a lack of support and difficult employment conditions as the leading settlement related stressors (James et al, 2009). The main cure for immigration and settlement related problema de nervos was medication (James et al, 2009), as was the case with this study's participants.…”

“I go because I don’t have an alternative”: Older Portuguese Immigrant Women’s Experiences Accessing and Using Health Care Services in Toronto

“…James has since expanded her research to another idiom of distress expressed by the Portuguese immigrant community as a wholeproblema de nervos (literally translating into problem of the nerves) (James et al, 2009). This finding is consistent with the idiom of distress used by this study's participants.…”

“…Participants cited a lack of support and difficult employment conditions as the leading settlement related stressors (James et al, 2009). The main cure for immigration and settlement related problema de nervos was medication (James et al, 2009), as was the case with this study's participants.…”

Depression in multicultural populations.

“…Ataques de nervios, described by women in the study, include fearfulness, anxiety, and dissociative qualities (Cuevas et al, 2010). These findings suggest that this phenomenon constitutes a culturally patterned response to stressful or traumatic experiences and is viewed as an expected and appropriate way for women to express their distress (James et al, 2009).…”

(Des)ajustamento psicológico e expressões idiomáticas na adolescência

“…Os resultados mostraram que há diferenças de género no reportar de (des)ajustamento psicológico por meio de expressões idiomáticas como SN, reportando as raparigas mais problemas que os rapazes, o que vai ao encontro de alguma literatura existente (e.g., James et al, 2009). No entanto, não se verificam diferenças de género quando se trata de avaliar a presença de PP.…”

“…Os objetivos deste estudo eram os de descrever a distribuição da autoperceção de desajustamento por meio de expressões idiomaticas e a distribuição de sintomas em diferentes dimensões de psicopatologia e, sobretudo, explorar a associação entre ambas os relatos de desajustamento psicológico, procurando identificar diferenças de género. Os resultados mostraram que há diferenças de género no reportar de (des)ajustamento psicológico por meio de expressões idiomáticas como SN, reportando as raparigas mais problemas que os rapazes, o que vai ao encontro de alguma literatura existente (e.g., James et al, 2009). No entanto, não se verificam diferenças de género quando se trata de avaliar a presença de PP.…”

“I go because I don’t have an alternative”: Older Portuguese Immigrant Women’s Experiences Accessing and Using Health Care Services in Toronto

“…James has since expanded her research to another idiom of distress expressed by the Portuguese immigrant community as a wholeproblema de nervos (literally translating into problem of the nerves) (James et al, 2009). This finding is consistent with the idiom of distress used by this study's participants.…”

“…Participants cited a lack of support and difficult employment conditions as the leading settlement related stressors (James et al, 2009). The main cure for immigration and settlement related problema de nervos was medication (James et al, 2009), as was the case with this study's participants.…”

Depression in multicultural populations.

“…Ataques de nervios, described by women in the study, include fearfulness, anxiety, and dissociative qualities (Cuevas et al, 2010). These findings suggest that this phenomenon constitutes a culturally patterned response to stressful or traumatic experiences and is viewed as an expected and appropriate way for women to express their distress (James et al, 2009).…”

(Des)ajustamento psicológico e expressões idiomáticas na adolescência

“…Os resultados mostraram que há diferenças de género no reportar de (des)ajustamento psicológico por meio de expressões idiomáticas como SN, reportando as raparigas mais problemas que os rapazes, o que vai ao encontro de alguma literatura existente (e.g., James et al, 2009). No entanto, não se verificam diferenças de género quando se trata de avaliar a presença de PP.…”

“…Os objetivos deste estudo eram os de descrever a distribuição da autoperceção de desajustamento por meio de expressões idiomaticas e a distribuição de sintomas em diferentes dimensões de psicopatologia e, sobretudo, explorar a associação entre ambas os relatos de desajustamento psicológico, procurando identificar diferenças de género. Os resultados mostraram que há diferenças de género no reportar de (des)ajustamento psicológico por meio de expressões idiomáticas como SN, reportando as raparigas mais problemas que os rapazes, o que vai ao encontro de alguma literatura existente (e.g., James et al, 2009). No entanto, não se verificam diferenças de género quando se trata de avaliar a presença de PP.…”

“I go because I don’t have an alternative”: Older Portuguese Immigrant Women’s Experiences Accessing and Using Health Care Services in Toronto

“…James has since expanded her research to another idiom of distress expressed by the Portuguese immigrant community as a wholeproblema de nervos (literally translating into problem of the nerves) (James et al, 2009). This finding is consistent with the idiom of distress used by this study's participants.…”

“…Participants cited a lack of support and difficult employment conditions as the leading settlement related stressors (James et al, 2009). The main cure for immigration and settlement related problema de nervos was medication (James et al, 2009), as was the case with this study's participants.…”

Depression in multicultural populations.

“…Ataques de nervios, described by women in the study, include fearfulness, anxiety, and dissociative qualities (Cuevas et al, 2010). These findings suggest that this phenomenon constitutes a culturally patterned response to stressful or traumatic experiences and is viewed as an expected and appropriate way for women to express their distress (James et al, 2009).…”

(Des)ajustamento psicológico e expressões idiomáticas na adolescência

“…Os resultados mostraram que há diferenças de género no reportar de (des)ajustamento psicológico por meio de expressões idiomáticas como SN, reportando as raparigas mais problemas que os rapazes, o que vai ao encontro de alguma literatura existente (e.g., James et al, 2009). No entanto, não se verificam diferenças de género quando se trata de avaliar a presença de PP.…”

“…Os objetivos deste estudo eram os de descrever a distribuição da autoperceção de desajustamento por meio de expressões idiomaticas e a distribuição de sintomas em diferentes dimensões de psicopatologia e, sobretudo, explorar a associação entre ambas os relatos de desajustamento psicológico, procurando identificar diferenças de género. Os resultados mostraram que há diferenças de género no reportar de (des)ajustamento psicológico por meio de expressões idiomáticas como SN, reportando as raparigas mais problemas que os rapazes, o que vai ao encontro de alguma literatura existente (e.g., James et al, 2009). No entanto, não se verificam diferenças de género quando se trata de avaliar a presença de PP.…”