Phenomenology of Delusions in Pakistani Patients: Effect of Gender and Social Class

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Abstract
The present study aimed to assess the actual content of delusions of Pakistani schizophrenic patients by gender and social class. A total of 98 schizophrenic patients (48 men and 50 women) from the two psychiatric units in Lahore, Pakistan, were interviewed using the Present State Examination categories. When the sample was analysed as a whole, the delusion of persecution was found to be the most common one followed by the delusion of grandiose identity. When the sample was divided according to gender and social class, two subgroups with surprisingly similar themes of delusions emerged from the analysis, one male and wealthy and the other female and poor. The themes of having special powers and being a star were more frequently found among the former, whereas the themes of black magic, persecution, being controlled and erotomania appeared to be more conspicuous among the latter. The results indicated that the phenomenology of delusions differs in subgroups of the population depending on their socio-cultural roles and specific vulnerabilities.

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