Somatization Across Cultures

Abstract Somatization is the presentation of physical and somatic symptoms arising out of psychological, emotional, social, and importantly, cultural factors. The presentation of bodily symptoms in most cultures, regardless of source, constitutes an idiom of distress. In many cultures, the presentation of personal or social distress in the form of somatic complaints is the norm. In an effort to explain such cultural differences, models that incorporate mind/body schemas prevalent in various cultures have been studied. The types of symptoms presented in different cultural settings are diverse. Understanding about the aetiology of somatoform disorders is intriguing from a cultural perspective. Emotional deficits, cognitive biases and abnormal perception of body signals have been considered to form somatic cognitions. Culture and cultural factors play an important part in the presentation and maintenance of such a phenomenon. This book describes presentation of somatization disorders in different cultures, including in special populations, understanding of the processes underlying somatization across cultures and nations, and management of such presentations.