Wuhib, Tigist (PhD)Desalegn, Ashenafi2018-06-262023-11-182018-06-262023-11-182016-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/12345678/3534The aim of the study was to explore traditional healers’ conception and treatment practice concerning mental illness. To achieve this aim qualitative approach was employed because the study was exploratory in nature, since much has not been done about the topic and population being studied. The researcher, therefore, sought information and built a picture based on participants’ idea. The study was conducted at Gondar city located in Amhara regional state of Ethiopia. The population in this study comprise of traditional healers who are located at Gondar city. Purposive sampling was employed to select eight traditional healers and two clients. Semi structured interview and non participant observation were used to collect data. All the interviews were conducted by the researcher and audio-taped. The observation was also conducted by the researcher. Initial/open, axial, and selective coding types were conducted to condense the huge data and made fit into the preconceived themes. Thematic analysis is the particular data analysis technique used in the study. Themes that have actual and/or potential relationship with the overarching objective are selected and discussed. The study concludes that Traditional healers are able to recognize disorders related to psychosis easily being limited for other mental disorders; They have multiple explanation about causes of mental illness, including; supernatural, biological and psychosocial explanations. Traditional healers employ different techniques for diagnosing mental disorders including; Different religious books like Awed Negest; through symptom identification and by using different herbal medicines. It is also found that traditional healers employ different treatment modalities as an intervention for mental disorders including: herbal medicines, spiritual interventions, traditional rituals and counselingenPhilosophyThesis