exudates and Hysteria

Topics: Adult; Culture; Family; Family Therapy; Female; Humans; Hysteria; Malaysia; Mental Disorders; Netherlands; Reflex, Startle

Topics: Child; Child Behavior Disorders; Family; Female; Humans; Hysteria; Malaysia; Male

This discussion of an episode of mass hysteria in a Malay college in West Malaysia examines stress and conflict in relation to the interpretive process within a specific social setting. Unlike previous studies, which conceptualize mass hysteria as a cathartic response to accumulated stress, the present study treats stress as a matter of definition in a specific sociocultural context rather than as an objective given from which predictions can be made. Objections are raised to the logic of explanations that attribute mass hysteria to environmental stress. What is of concern is how meanings are assigned to events that are experienced as stressful, how participants and observers explain these events, and the consequences that follow from their interpretations.

Topics: Conflict, Psychological; Cultural Characteristics; Culture; Female; Humans; Hysteria; Interpersonal Relations; Malaysia; Mass Behavior; Medicine, Traditional; Psychophysiologic Disorders; Social Conditions; Spiritualism

This study examines twenty-four cases of amok, believed the largest number of cases ever collected. They were observed in Sarawak, East Malaysia. They occurred in all indigenous groups in Sarawak, excluding the Chinese, such as Malay, Sea Dayak, Land Dayak, Kayan, Punan and Melanau at frequencies more or less following the proportion of these groups in the total population. No differences were found according to religion, the Malay being Muslim and the other groups either predominantly Christian like the Iban or animistic. Only slight diminution in the frequency was observed from 1954 to 1968. The education level of the amok runners was much lower than that of the average population. The weapons used were those immediately at hand be it parang (short sword), ax, sticks, knives, guns, bare hands or a lorry. The classical four stages were largely present: (a) brooding and withdrawal, (b) homicidal paroxysm, (c) continuation of homicidal behaviour until killed, restrained or falling into stupor of exhaustion, (d) complete or partial amnesia. While in 14 no motive could be ascertained, insult, jealousy and paranoid ideation was present in the others. Both family history of mental illness and personal psychiatric history were predominant. All cases fell into accepted diagnostic categories from organic and endogenous psychosis to neurosis and behaviour disorder.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aggression; Amnesia; Borneo; Depression; Ethnicity; Female; Humans; Hysteria; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Psychotic Disorders; Schizophrenia; Sleep

This paper discusses the prevalence and characteristics of epidemic hysteria among predominantly rural Malay schools in Malaysia. An illustrative episode in a Malay residential girls' school is described, and contributory factors to this outbreak are elaborated. An attempt is made to analyze the complex interweaving of psychological, religious, cultural, and sociological factors in the precipitation of the outbreak.

Topics: Adolescent; Child; Culture; Developing Countries; Disease Outbreaks; Female; Humans; Hysteria; Malaysia; Medicine, Traditional; Mother-Child Relations; Religion and Psychology; Rural Population; Social Change; Social Environment; Stress, Psychological; Students; Superstitions

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Disease Outbreaks; Female; Humans; Hysteria; Malaysia; Male; Rural Health; Schools; Social Change

Topics: Anger; Conflict, Psychological; Culture; Disease Outbreaks; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hostility; Humans; Hysteria; Interpersonal Relations; Malaysia; Personality Inventory; Rural Population; Social Alienation; Social Change; Social Control, Informal; Social Dominance; Urbanization

Topics: Adolescent; Culture; Ethnicity; Humans; Hysteria; India; Magic; Malaysia; Male

Topics: Civilization; Humans; Hysteria; Malaysia; Neurotic Disorders