Chapter 15: Mental Health

Question 1

What is Hikikomori in Japan?

Answer 1

Acute social Withdrawal syndrome. Adolescents and young adults who have chosen to withdraw from social life.

Question 2

What could be one example of a culture bound syndrome in Western culture?

Answer 2

Bulimia nervosa.

Question 3

People in the West may what depression? What may people in Eastern cultures do?

Answer 3

Psychologize. Somatization.

Question 4

Describe the results of the conducted by Ryder and colleagues on Chinese and Canadian depressed outpatients on somatization and psychologizing. (3)

Answer 4

1. Canadians reported more psychological symptoms on all measures. 2. Chinese reported more somatic symptoms than Canadians on all measures except questionnaire. 3. Chinese had more stigma and had more externally oriented thinking.

Question 5

Describe cultural norms of emotional reactivity in the U.S. (for depression, too).

Answer 5

Open expression of emotions. I.e. depressed individuals show less emotional reactivity.

Question 6

Describe cultural norms of emotional reactivity in East Asia (for depression, too).

Answer 6

Emotional moderation and control. I.e. Show more emotional reactivity when depressed.

Question 7

Describe the results of the study done by Chentsova-Dutton and her colleagues on depressed and non-depressed individuals who watched a sad video clip. (3)

Answer 7

1. EAs with depression were less likely to cry. 2. AAs who are depressed cried more than non-depressed Asian Americans. 3. Same pattern reported with reported sadness.

Question 8

Describe the results of the study done by Norasakkunkit and Kalick on EA and East Asian undergrads about social anxiety.

Answer 8

East Asians reported more anxiety symptoms than European Americans.

Question 9

What is “Taijin-kyofushou” (TKS)?

Answer 9

Morbid fear of embarrassing or offending others by blushing, improper facial expressions, or emitting offensive odors.

Question 10

What similarities do social anxiety disorder and TKS share?

Answer 10

Fear and avoidance associated with social performance and interactions.

Question 11

What differences do social anxiety disorder and TKS have?

Answer 11

SAD is about embarrassing the self. TKS is about embarrassing others.

Question 12

How prevalent is TKS in Japanese psychiatric patients?

Answer 12

About 7-36%.

Question 13

Describe the study done by Dinnel and colleagues on tract measures of TKS.

Answer 13

Japanese had more symptoms of TKS than Americans.

Question 14

Why is social anxiety disorder not diagnosed as much in East Asia?

Answer 14

It may be so common in East Asia that it may not be viewed as impairing.

Question 15

What is koro?

Answer 15

Clinical syndrome in South and East Asia in which the sufferer believes his penis is shrinking into his body.

Question 16

What is amok?

Answer 16

A Southeast Asian syndrome regarding an acute outburst of unrestrained violence ending with exhaustion and amnesia.

Question 17

What is frigophobia?

Answer 17

Morbid fear of catching a cold which leads people to dress themselves in heavy coats and scarves, even in summer.

Question 18

What is Voodoo death?

Answer 18

Condition in which people are convinced that a curse has been put on them of that they have broken a taboo, which results in a severe fear reaction that sometimes leads to their own deaths.

Question 19

What is Susto?

Answer 19

Condition in Latin America in which people feel that a frightening experience has cursed their soul to get dislodged from their bodies, leading to a wide range of physical and psychological symptoms.