Culture bound neurosis in Qatari women

Abstract

Sixty female patients exhibiting the quadrad of neurotic symptoms: giddiness, palpitation, nausea and general fatigue were compared to a control group of forty female neurotics whose symptoms did not show this constellation. The syndrome for which the name culture bound neurosis has been employed is an exceedingly chronic syndrome occurring mostly in females who cannot satisfy the social criteria of women's role fulfilment according to Qatari value systems. The syndrome is initiated, bound and maintained by sociocultural expectations. When compared to controls, culture bound neurotics were found to have significantly higher proportions of the husbandless, the childless and those experiencing threats of husband loss. The significance of the somatic symptoms constituting culture bound neurosis in forsaking its psychosocial roots is discussed. The social role failure is erroneously ascribed by the patients to the apparent physical dysfunction.