Zār Spirit Possession in Iran and African Countries: Group Distress, Culture-Bound Syndrome or Cultural Concept of Distress?
Fahimeh Mianji, Yousef Semnani
Iranian Journal of Psychiatry September 1, 2015 Peer reviewed via Semantic Scholar
Summary
Zār spirit possession, common in parts of Africa and the Middle East, varies across regions in prevalence and how it appears. This review examines how zār fits into DSM-IV and DSM-V diagnostic manuals and describes its manifestations in Iran, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Egypt. The paper aims to help mental health clinicians understand zār as a cultural concept relevant to immigrants from those regions living near the Persian Gulf.
Study at a glance
| Design | selective review |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Zār spirit possession varies in prevalence, clinical characteristics, and social context across northern and eastern African and Middle Eastern societies, and is examined in relation to DSM diagnostic categories. |
Abstract
Zār is the term used to describe a form of spirit possession common in northern African, eastern African, and some Middle-Eastern societies. Although these regions share some cultural similarities arising from their history of slavery, in these places, zār varies in prevalence, clinical characteristics, and social context. Based on a selective review of the literature, this paper looks at the place of zār spirit possession in both DSM-IV and DSM-V; it also examines how zār is manifested in Iran and in African countries including Sudan, Ethiopia, and Egypt; and it aims to provide practical information to mental health clinicians so that they can better understand how this cultural concept is practiced by Iranians and Middle Eastern and African immigrants living near the Persian Gulf coast.