A Critical Review of Dissociative Trance and Possession Disorders: Etiological, Diagnostic, Therapeutic, and Nosological Issues
The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry April 1, 2011 Emmanuel H During, Fanny M Elahi, Olivier Taieb et al. 84 citations
Dissociative trance disorder (DTD) is a recognized but understudied condition. A review of 28 articles covering 402 cases worldwide found that possession-type episodes (69%) are more common than trance alone (31%). Amnesia occurred in 20% of patients, while hallucinatory symptoms during possession were reported in 56%, suggesting this should be a key diagnostic criterion. Somatic complaints appeared in 34% of cases. The authors argue that DTD should be included in the DSM-5 with adjustments, as it is a widespread idiom of distress likely underdiagnosed in Western countries due to cultural biases. Accurate diagnosis requires evaluating both sociocultural and individual factors, including acculturation difficulties.