Trapped Between Theological and Medical Notions of Possession: A Case of Possession Trance Disorder With a 3-Year Follow-Up
Igor J. Pietkiewicz, Urszula Kłosińska, Radosław Tomalski
Frontiers in Psychiatry May 26, 2022 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.891859 via OpenAlex
Summary
A case study details the experience of a Caucasian Roman-Catholic woman diagnosed with Possession Trance Disorder (PTD), who underwent exorcisms due to issues with affect regulation and somatoform symptoms. The study explores her interpretation of 'possession' and its impact on her decision to seek help. It concludes that a PTD diagnosis may strengthen beliefs in supernatural causes for her symptoms and deter her from pursuing professional treatment, raising questions about the disorder's diagnostic criteria.
Study at a glance
| Design | case study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | Caucasian Roman-Catholic woman with Possession Trance Disorder |
| Key finding | Receiving a PTD diagnosis can reinforce beliefs about supernatural causation of symptoms and discourage professional treatment. |
Abstract
Few studies on Possession Trance Disorder (PTD) describe diagnostic and research procedures in detail. This case study presents the clinical picture of a Caucasian Roman-Catholic woman who had been subjected to exorcisms because of her problems with affect regulation, lack of control over unaccepted sexual impulses, and somatoform symptoms accompanied by alterations in consciousness. It uses interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore meaning attributed by her to "possession" as a folk category and a medical diagnosis; how this affected her help-seeking was also explored. This study shows that receiving a PTD diagnosis can reinforce patients' beliefs about supernatural causation of symptoms and discourage professional treatment. Dilemmas and uncertainties about the diagnostic criteria and validity of this disorder are discussed.