title: Belief in transmigration of the soul and psychopathology in Israeli Druze. A culture-sensitive psychotherapeutic approach.
abstract: One of the central tenets of the Druze religion is the transmigration of the soul. In rare cases this belief may be related to psychopathology or cause a temporary inability to function normally. We report on 5 Druze patients whose preoccupation with transmigration was the basis of their pathological behavior. These cases illustrate the interaction between cultural and religious beliefs, and psychopathology, and emphasize the importance of employing a culture-specific psychiatric approach in the management of this type of patients.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Division, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Iancu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spivak
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mester
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weizman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003291:Conversion Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D003469:Culture; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011613:Psychotherapy; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D013593:Syria / Q000208:ethnology
chemical_list: D006220:Haloperidol