Traumatic Experience and Somatoform Dissociation Among Spirit Possession Practitioners in the Dominican Republic.
Culture, medicine and psychiatry March 1, 2016 Yvonne Schaffler, Etzel Cardeña, Sophie Reijman et al. 30 citations
Vodou practitioners in the Dominican Republic who experience spirit possession report greater somatoform dissociation, more sleep problems, and more past exposure to mortal danger (assaults, accidents, or diseases) than those who do not experience possession. The two groups did not differ significantly in other types of trauma. Somatoform dissociation was the strongest predictor of group membership, though these symptoms may partly reflect the possession experience itself. A factor analysis yielded three factors: early responsibility and professional spiritual role; traumatic events and pain; and distress/dissociation. Overall, possessed individuals did not have a remarkably more severe trauma history and appeared to derive economic benefits from possession practice.