Schizophrenic delusions in Seoul, Shanghai and Taipei: A transcultural study

In this transcultural study of schizophrenic delusions among patients in Se oul, Shanghai and Taipei, we discovered that both the frequency and content of delusions differed among the three groups; and that these differences c ould perhaps be explained by varying sociocultural and political situations . Delusional themes that are sensitive to sociocultural or political situat ions include guilt, love/sex, religion, somatic damage, economy/business an d politics. Delusions regarding longevity, love/sex, dysmorphophobia/dysosm ophobia, religion or supernatural matters, and espionage/spy stories were m ost frequent in Seoul patients. Those in Taipei predominantly had delusions about possession, religion or supernatural matters, hypnotism, and mass me dia/computers. Shanghai patients often had delusions of poisons, being pric kled by poisoned needles, their brain and viscera extracted and being a fam ily member of political authorities.