title: Dissociative trance and spirit possession: Challenges for cultures in transition.
abstract: The cross-cultural validity of dissociative possession and trance disorders is a matter of some debate, limiting research and meaningful interpretation of prevalence data. Intimate to these concerns is the status of spirit possession categories studied in the social sciences, particularly anthropology. These two categories are phenomenologically related and display similar epidemiological associations. In India, dissociative and conversion disorders are fairly common in clinical settings. There is no doubt that there are true cultural variations in possession and trance disorders. A new framework may enable clinicians to better understand possession states and spirit possession.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
authors.forename: Vishal
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bhavsar
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ventriglio
authors.affiliation: Health Services and Population Research, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bhugra
mesh_terms: D003291:Conversion Disorder / Q000208:ethnology*; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D000067496:Spirit Possession
keywords: culture; dissociative disorders; psychopathology; spirit possession