disagreements [in families]
. . .arise between those who adhere to the traditions of the indigenous Arab culture in Kuwait and those who accept the more liberal attitudes conveyed by Western culture. (p.109)
The authors state that the greater the degree of family conflict over the female role, the greater the likelihood that family females would suffer from depressive illness. What is needed in order to understand these findings is a model that explains how conflict over role can lead to depressive illness.
Depressive Illness and Female Role in Kuwaiti Society: An Explanative Model
Al-Thakeb (1985) has reported that the traditional role of the Kuwait female is closely related to the traditional role of being under the authority of both her parents and her husband. Identifying with her strong family and kinship ties, the traditionally oriented female allows her parents to select her husband who, after marriage, has dominion over the decisions that shape both his life, her life, and their children's lives.
The notion of the traditional role is echoed by El-Islam (1983) who reports that:
in Arabian culture a hierarchial order is maintained in the family in which the dominance of the male over female and older over younger is observed. The family offers security to its members in return for behavior that is harmonious with the cultural code. (El-Islam, 1983, p.321).
The authors list a number of other elements that are associated with the traditional view of family in the Arab culture. The first of these elements centers around intergenerational respect and honor; in this regard, children are expected to show an absolute respect for and obedience to their elders. This expectation is based on the belief that honor to parents brings prosperity, success, and happiness.
A second element associated with the traditional view of family in the Arab culture is priority among relationships. While in the Western view, once...