Anxiety and related disorders: taijin kyofusho: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

Psychiatry · Anxiety and related disorders: taijin kyofusho

Sample item

A 25-year-old man in Japan avoids trains and workplaces because he is convinced his body odour and facial expression embarrass and offend other people. He is not worried about being judged badly himself. Which culture-bound syndrome is this?

ADhat syndromeBLatahCTaijin kyofushoDKoro

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Taijin kyofusho

Taijin kyofusho is a Japanese culture-bound syndrome with a fear that one's body, its parts or its functions displease, embarrass or offend others. It resembles social anxiety disorder, but the focus is on offending others and not on being negatively evaluated.

Option by option

A. Dhat syndrome
Dhat syndrome is anxiety about semen loss in the urine, with weakness.
B. Latah
Latah is exaggerated startle with echo phenomena and automatic obedience, mainly in Southeast Asia.
C. Taijin kyofusho (correct)
Correct. Fear of offending others through one's body is taijin kyofusho.
D. Koro
Koro is the fear that the genitals are retracting into the abdomen, with fear of death.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is C, Taijin kyofusho. Taijin kyofusho is a Japanese culture-bound syndrome with a fear that one's body, its parts or its functions displease, embarrass or offend others.

Why is "Dhat syndrome" not the answer?

Dhat syndrome is anxiety about semen loss in the urine, with weakness.

Why is "Latah" not the answer?

Latah is exaggerated startle with echo phenomena and automatic obedience, mainly in Southeast Asia.

Why is "Koro" not the answer?

Koro is the fear that the genitals are retracting into the abdomen, with fear of death.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Anxiety and related disorders: taijin kyofusho in Psychiatry. It resembles social anxiety disorder, but the focus is on offending others and not on being negatively evaluated.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Anxiety and related disorders: taijin kyofusho?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.