Understanding genital-shrinking epidemics in West Africa: koro, juju, or mass psychogenic illness?
A small-scale epidemic of genital shrinking occurred in six West African nations between January 1997 and October 2003. This article presents a summary and analysis of 56 media reports of these cases. A clinical formulation of these cases considers a variety of explanations from theory and research in social and cultural psychology, psychopathology, and anthropology. Of particular interest is a comparison of genital-shrinking distress in West African settings with koro, a culture-bound syndrome involving fears of genital retraction that is prominent in Southeast Asian settings. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the role of culture in both the experience of genital-shrinking distress and conceptions of psychopathology.
Dzokoto
Vivian Afi
VA
Department of Psychology, Fayetteville State University, NC 28311, USA. vdzokoto@uncfsu.edu
Adams
Glenn
G
D000354:Africa, Western; D003469:Culture; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D016911:Koro / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008399:Mass Behavior; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology*