title: Turkish Migrant Women with Recurrent Depression: Results from Community-based Self-help Groups.
abstract: The study focuses on psychosocial functioning of female Turkish immigrants in Austria with recurrent depressive disorder participating in self-help groups. Self-help groups guided by group leaders of Turkish descent should increase autonomy in participants, providing the opportunity to follow their ethnic health beliefs. Turkish immigrant women (n = 43) with recurrent depressive disorder participated in self-help groups over four months. Qualitative data of participants and group leaders, containing interviews, group protocols and supervision protocols of group leaders were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis for effects on psychosocial function, such as interaction with others, illness beliefs and benefit from self-help group. Women reported feelings of being neglected and violated by their husbands. They stated that they had gained strength and had emancipated themselves from their husbands. Self-help groups functioned as social resources and support for changes in participants' lives. Further interventions should integrate the functional value of depressive symptoms and focus on social support systems and social networks.
authors.affiliation: a Women's Health Centre , Medical University of Innsbruck.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Siller
authors.affiliation: b Faculty of Psychology , Paneuropean University.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Renner
authors.affiliation: c Department of Psychology , University of Innsbruck.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Juen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001317:Austria; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012944:Social Support; D014421:Turkey
keywords: community-based self-help groups; female immigrants; psychosocial functioning; recurrent depressive disorder