Culturally responsive mental healthcare in the UAE: community insights for responsive systems

This study examines how residents of Abu Dhabi and Dubai navigate mental healthcare within a plural context. Seven focus groups were analyzed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Four themes were constructed: the emotional risks of stigma and surveillance, disillusionment with commodified care, the yearning for culturally fluent connection, and ambivalence around professional identity and trust. Across groups, participants described therapy as something they wanted but did not trust, citing fears of social exposure and providers perceived as financially motivated. Findings highlight the need for relational approaches that integrate cultural sensitivity and confidentiality as foundational conditions for therapeutic trust in multicultural societies.