Deboleza: Culturally Determined Behaviour in Istria

Abstract

Deboleza is a behavioural construct among the inhabitants of Istria (a peninsula in the Adriatic Sea which belongs mainly to Croatia); it has peculiar social, ethno-psychological and historical characteristics because it is a relatively small region which has been the intersection of various cultures and civilizations. In this research the concept is analysed from the psychomedical point of view. As deboleza does not have the status of an illness, it functions as a culture-bound syndrome which, because of its emotional expressions, belongs to the ‘shame’ family. This interesting construct should be thoroughly studied not only in a peculiar and dynamic Croatian culture and in Croatian psychiatry, but also within European culture and psychiatry.

A Preliminary Assessment of Mental Health Needs Faced by Religious Leaders in Eastern Europe

“…(Grob et al, 1996, p. 793) Some manifestations of psychopathology are unique to certain cultures. Pavlovic and Vucic (1997) describe a syndrome known as debloza, which seems to be unique to Istria, a peninsula on the Adriatic Sea that belongs to Croatia and Slovenia. Debloza is characterized by anxiety, restlessness, depression, and paranoia and manifests itself somatically in the form of headaches, stomach pains, and drooping limbs.…”

Behavioral Characteristics in Delusional Pregnancy: A Matched Control Group Study

“…Literature review reveals that the disorder crosses multiple cultures. Cases of DP have been reported in Australia and New Zealand [4], Canada [1], Istria [6], Africa [7], as well as Germany, the United States and China [8]. The range in age of the sufferers is wide, with reports of occurrence as young as age five [8] and continuing up to age 82 [3].…”