Culture-bound syndrome: A combination of psychiatric and somatic symptoms recognized as a disease only within a specific culture.
No objective biochemical or structural changes in body organs or functions.
Not recognized in other cultures.
Historical Context
Included in DSM-IV as culture-bound conditions.
DSM-5 replaced the term with "cultural concepts of distress."
Characteristics
Recognized as a disease within a particular culture.
Familiar within the culture but misunderstood or unknown outside it.
No observable biochemical or tissue abnormalities.
Treatment via local folk medicine.
Medical Perspectives
American Psychiatric Association: Culture-bound syndromes are locality-specific patterns of behavior that may relate to DSM-IV categories but are influenced by cultural factors.
Controversy exists between anthropological and psychiatric interpretations.
Guarnaccia & Rogler argue for treating culture-bound syndromes as independent research subjects.
Cultural Impact
Cultural and environmental factors may determine disease transmission and expression.
Examples of culture-bound syndromes include neurasthenia in Chinese culture and epilepsy in Hmong culture.
Globalization and Culture-bound Syndromes
Globalization may lead to increased cultural integration.
Some culture-bound syndromes may lose their localized nature and become internationally recognized.
Examples of Culture-bound Syndromes
DSM-IV examples:
Running amok (Southeast Asia)
Ataque de nervios (Latin America)
Dhat syndrome (India)
Ghost sickness (Native American)
DSM-5 examples:
Ataque de nervios (Latin America)
Ghost sickness (Native American)
Taijin kyofusho (Japan)
Cultural Collision and Medical Perspectives
Different cultures have varying interpretations and treatments of disorders.
Examples include epilepsy in Hmong culture and neurasthenia in Chinese culture.
Other Examples and Considerations
Some researchers view conditions like PMS and Morgellons as culture-bound syndromes.
Unique syndromes may exist within specific cultural contexts, such as amafufunyana among the Xhosa people.
Further Reading
Consider exploring works by Arthur Kleinman, David Landy, and Roland Littlewood for more insights into cultural psychiatry.