title: Transcultural study of schizophrenic delusions. Tokyo versus Vienna and Tübingen (Germany).
abstract: Schizophrenic delusions of 324 inpatients in Tokyo, 101 in Vienna, and 150 in Tübingen (Germany) were compared according to the same classifications. Among the three areas, about 80% of the patients had equally 'negative' delusions (injury and/or belittlement), and about one-fourth had 'positive' delusions of grandeur. Transcultural influences were found in the detailed contents of the 'negative' delusions; specific and direct themes of persecutory delusion, i.e., delusions of poisoning, and religious themes of guilt/sin were conspicuous in Europe, while amorphous delusions of reference such as 'being slandered' were predominant in Japan. The latter may derive from the group-oriented self in Japanese 'shame culture'.
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan College of Allied Medical Sciences, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tateyama
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bartels
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasper
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001317:Austria; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003702:Delusions / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012945:Social Values; D014041:Tokyo