PROJECT WORK – 3
CULTURE BOUND SYNDROME
Culture-specific syndrome or folk illness is a combination of psychiatric and
somatic (body) symptoms that are considered to be a recognizable disease only
within a specific society or culture. There are no objective structural or
functional alterations of body organs or functions and the disease is not
recognized in other cultures.
The term culture-bound syndrome was included in the fourth version of the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
Within the ICD-10 (Chapter V) framework culture-specific disorders are
characterized by:
1. Categorization as a disease in the culture.
2. Widespread familiarity in the culture.
3. Complete lack of familiarity or misunderstanding of the condition to
people in other cultures.
4. No objectively demonstrable biochemical or tissue abnormalities.
5. The condition is usually recognized and treated by the folk medicine of
the culture.
Some culture-specific syndromes involve somatic symptoms (pain or disturbed
function of a body part), while others are purely behavioral. Some culture-
bound syndromes appear with similar features in several cultures, but with
locally specific traits. The term culture-bound syndrome is controversial since it
reflects the different opinions of anthropologists and psychiatrists.
Culture-bound syndromes are classified on the basis of common etiology:
magic, evil spells, or angry ancestors so clinical pictures may vary.
Projection is a common ego defense mechanism in many non-Western cultures.
Guilt and shame are often projected into cultural beliefs and ceremonies. Guilt
and shame are attributed to other individuals, to groups, or to objects, and may
involve acting out, blaming others, and needing to punish others. Projection is
also seen in magic and in supernatural perspectives of existence. This leads to
projective ceremonies and may lead to illness when the ceremonies are not
performed.
Cultural psychoses are difficult to define. In cultural syndromes, hallucinations
may be viewed as normal variants. Delusions and thought disorder must be
