Therapeutic Processes and Perceived Helpfulness of Dang-Ki (Chinese Shamanism) from the Symbolic Healing Perspective

Abstract

This study focuses on the therapeutic process and perceived helpfulness of dang-ki, a form of Chinese shamanistic healing, in Singapore. It aims to understand the healing symbols employed in dang-ki, whether or not patients find them helpful and whether their perceived helpfulness can be explained by the symbolic healing model (Dow, Am Anthropol 88(1): 56-69, 1986; Levi-Strauss, Structural anthropology. Basic Books, New York, 1963). Although many researchers have applied this model to explain the efficacy of shamanistic healings, they did not directly provide empirical support. Furthermore, the therapeutic process of a shared clinical reality as proposed by the model may be achievable in small-scale traditional societies that are culturally more homogeneous than in contemporary societies that are culturally more diversified due to globalization and immigration. Patients may hold multidimensional health belief systems, as biomedicine and alternative healing systems coexist. Thus, it would be interesting to see the relevance and applicability of the symbolic healing model to shamanistic healing in contemporary societies. In this study, ethnographic interviews were conducted with 21 patients over three stages: immediately before and after the healing and approximately 1 month later. The dang-ki healing symbols were identified by observing the healing sessions with video recording. Results show that dang-kis normally applied more than one method to treat a given problem. These methods included words, talismans and physical manipulations. Overall, 11 patients perceived their consultations as helpful, 4 perceived their consultations as helpful but were unable to follow all recommendations, 5 were not sure of the outcome because they had yet to see any concrete results and only 1 patient considered his consultation unhelpful. Although the symbolic healing model provides a useful framework to understand perceived helpfulness, processes such as enactment of a common meaning system and symbolic transformation are complex and dynamic, and may be carried over several healing sessions.

Local responses to trauma: Symptom, affect, and healing

“…There are several theories of how ritual may bring about healing (Desjarlais, 1989;Dow, 1986;Frank & Frank, 1991;Kirmayer, 1993;Kleinman, 1980;Lee, Kirmayer, & Groleau, 2010;Le´vi-Strauss, 1963;Sax, Quack, & Reinhold, 2010). Most of these models emphasize what is common across diverse practices but the variety and specificity of healing practices has much to teach us.…”

Groups and Emotional Arousal Mediate Neural Synchrony and Perceived Ritual Efficacy

“…Subsequent studies have shown the emotional motivations of rituals such as praying, chanting, and using lucky charms in the face of acute failure or annihilation (Case et al, 2004 ; Burger and Lynn, 2005 ; Rudski and Edwards, 2007 ). Building on the insights of Levi-Strauss, medical sociologists and psychiatrists have argued that emotions evoked by rituals, within the multifaceted symbolism of myths, elicit a sense of meaningfulness for participants (Dow, 1986 ; Kirmayer, 2004 ; Lee, 2010 ).…”

What Was Helpful Questionnaire (WHQ): Psychometric Properties of a Novel Tool Designed to Capture Parental Perceived Helpfulness of Interventions in Children Requiring Mental Health Inpatient Care

“…For example, perceived helpfulness is likely to facilitate families' involvement, lead to more effective interventions, and improved outcome measures. Lee and colleagues (2010) reported that patients perceived the care and treatment to be helpful after experiencing improvements or changes in their physical (e.g., gastric relief, improved blood circulation, feeling more energetic), cognitive (e.g., reduction of anxiety, sense of calmness, security, self-awareness, hopefulness), or interpersonal (e.g., reduction of interpersonal conflicts) functioning (39). There are few studies exploring the factors influencing perceived helpfulness, but it appears that etiological information (attributed causes of mental health problems), past experiences, nature of treatments and expectations are important (40–42).…”