Hallucinations and delusions of schizophrenia among Zulu men : an interpretive phenomenological analysis

Abstract

The research aimed to utilise an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) as method to explore themes that emerge from the hallucinations and delusions of Zulu men who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. The theoretical framework chosen for this research was phenomenology and in particular interpretative phenomenology. A number of participants were screened for the study, however two participants were then interviewed as they were Zulu speaking and regarded themselves as being of the Zulu culture. Interviews were conducted in Zulu, transcribed in Zulu and the translated to English. Following the steps of the chosen research methodology, interpretive phenomenological analysis, themes appeared from both transcripts. Emerging themes related to how both participants see themselves as men in the Zulu culture, their relationships with their families due to their diagnosis as well as their feelings of having been diagnosed with schizophrenia. The researcher concluded that although both men have been given the same diagnosis and they both align with the Zulu culture, each participant has his own unique experiences with regards to the diagnosis they have been given. One of the possibilities for this is the context of each participant, with regards to their personal backgrounds.