5. Africa
Transcultural Psychiatric Research Review April 1, 1967 DOI: 10.1177/136346156700400114 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key findings | The abstract summarizes a set of cross-cultural psychiatric reports: cannabis-related chronic mental disorder in Moroccan men, spirit possession among the Sidamo, East African conceptions of psychosis, Wolof "Nit ku bon" manifestations, a case of impotence in a Wolof man, and dysadaptation among returning Liberian students. It presents these as descriptive and comparative contributions rather than reporting a single empirical finding. |
Abstract
In a study of male patients suffering from cannabis intoxication in Morocco, C. CHRISTOZOV offers the most detailed description of chronic mental disorder attributed to cannabis in regions where that drug is in common use. J. and I. HAMER's article on spirit possession among the Sidamo of southwest Ehiopia presents new cultural and sociological data which must be added to the fast- growing literature on trance and possession. An article by R. EDGERTON compares four East African societies regarding native descriptions of the etiology of psychosis, typical forms of psychotic behavior, methods of treatment and social disruption caused by psychotic behavior. A. ZEMPLINI and J. RABAIN report a series of psychopathological manifestations called Nit ku bon by the Wolof and found under different names among other societies of Senegal. The main purpose of their paper is to show how these manifestations are perceived, described and interpreted by the Wolof. The next article by M. DIOP and H. COLLOMB presents a case history of a Moslem Wolof suffering from impotence. The main interest of this paper lies in the clear intermingling of cultural factors and personal conflicts. Finally, R. WINTROB describes dysadap tation reactions among Liberian students returning to their country after a period of study in the United States.