Despite extensive ethnographic and qualitative research on traditional healers in Nepal, the role of traditional healers in relation to mental health has not been synthesized. We focused on the following clinically based research question, “What are the processes by which Nepali traditional healers address mental well-being?” We adopted a scoping review methodology to maximize the available literature base and conducted a modified thematic analysis rooted in grounded theory, ethnography, and phenomenology. We searched five databases using terms related to traditional healers and mental health. We contacted key authors and reviewed references for additional literature. Our scoping review yielded 86 eligible studies, 65 of which relied solely on classical qualitative study designs. The reviewed literature suggests that traditional healers use a wide range of interventions that utilize magico-religious explanatory models to invoke symbolic transference, manipulation of local illness narratives, roles, and relationships, cognitive restructuring, meaning-making, and catharsis. Traditional healers’ perceived impact appears greatest for mild to moderate forms of psychological distress. However, the methodological and sample heterogeneity preclude uniform conclusions about traditional healing. Further research should employ methods which are both empirically sound and culturally adapted to explore the role of traditional healers in mental health.

尽管对尼泊尔传统治疗师进行了广泛的人种学和定性研究，但传统治疗师在心理健康方面的作用尚未得到综合分析。我们重点关注以下基于临床的研究问题：“尼泊尔传统治疗师解决心理健康问题的过程是什么？”我们采用了范围界定审查方法，以最大限度地利用现有文献基础，并进行了植根于扎根理论、民族志和现象学的修改后的主题分析。我们使用与传统治疗师和心理健康相关的术语搜索了五个数据库。我们联系了主要作者并审查了其他文献的参考文献。我们的范围界定审查产生了 86 项合格研究，其中 65 项仅依赖于经典的定性研究设计。文献综述表明，传统治疗师使用多种干预措施，利用魔法宗教解释模型来引发象征性转移、操纵当地疾病叙述、角色和关系、认知重建、意义建构和宣泄。传统治疗师对轻度至中度心理困扰的感知影响似乎最大。然而，方法论和样本的异质性排除了关于传统治疗的统一结论。进一步的研究应该采用既符合经验又适合文化的方法来探索传统治疗师在心理健康中的作用。