Australian Aboriginal stories and psychopathology

Aim To examine for evidence of the persistence of psychopathology over millennia. The Australian Aboriginals have the oldest continuous culture on Earth.Method Australian Aboriginal stories were examined for evidence of behavior which could be understood in terms of current psychopathology. Efforts were made to avoid the confounds of culture.Results Parts of stories were located which were consistent with (1) odd thinking and speech, inappropriate affect, eccentric behavior, and lack of close friends, (2) unexpected grandiosity and irritability in one twin, with pathologically low mood and suicide in the other, (3) sick role behavior and (4) malingering.Conclusion Certain aspects of human psychopathology have persisted for millennia.