To investigate the diagnostic patterns for neuroses in China, Japan, and
the United States, the authors showed videotapes and brief written case
histories of six Chinese patients to psychiatrists and
psychiatrists-in-training in Beijing, Tokyo, and Honolulu. In cases with a
well-distinguished clinical picture the diagnoses were congruent in the
three countries. Diagnostic disagreement occurred in cases with symptoms of
decline in mental function, which were overwhelmingly diagnosed as
neurasthenia by the Chinese clinicians, and cases with situational stress,
which were diagnosed as adjustment reaction by the Americans. This
illustrates that different professional concepts and classification systems
are used in different countries.
Abstract Teaser