TY - JOUR
T1 - Psychosis in a peasant society
T2 - Social outcomes
AU - Westermeyer, J.
PY - 1980/1/1
Y1 - 1980/1/1
N2 - Several clinicians have theorized that somatic and residential treatments have an untoward effect on the eventual outcome of mental illness. To test this hypothesis, the author studied social coping behavior of mentally ill people in Laos, a predominantly peasant society with no psychiatrists or psychiatric hospitals. The Lao folk term baa ('crazy' or insane) was used in determining cases. Social factors studied included legal problems, family contact, sociability, friendship, communal activities, sexuality, and work. Results indicated that levels of social function in this sample were quite limited. The author concludes that social disability associated with chronic psychosis cannot be ascribed totally to diagnostic labeling or institutionalization.
AB - Several clinicians have theorized that somatic and residential treatments have an untoward effect on the eventual outcome of mental illness. To test this hypothesis, the author studied social coping behavior of mentally ill people in Laos, a predominantly peasant society with no psychiatrists or psychiatric hospitals. The Lao folk term baa ('crazy' or insane) was used in determining cases. Social factors studied included legal problems, family contact, sociability, friendship, communal activities, sexuality, and work. Results indicated that levels of social function in this sample were quite limited. The author concludes that social disability associated with chronic psychosis cannot be ascribed totally to diagnostic labeling or institutionalization.
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U2 - 10.1176/ajp.137.11.1390
DO - 10.1176/ajp.137.11.1390
M3 - Article
C2 - 7435673
AN - SCOPUS:0018929395
SN - 0002-953X
VL - 137
SP - 1390
EP - 1394
JO - American Journal of Psychiatry
JF - American Journal of Psychiatry
IS - 11
ER -