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Clinical Psychological Science

ISSN 2167-7026

2 papers in the library · 17 citations · publishing 2025

Papers

Incidence and Predictors of Meditation-Related Unusual Experiences and Adverse Effects in a Representative Sample of Meditators in the United States

Clinical Psychological Science January 6, 2025 Nicholas T. van Dam, Jessica Targett, Jonathan N. Davies et al. 14 citations

Meditation use in the United States is about as common as accessing mental health services, making it important to understand its potential harms. In a survey of 886 U.S. adults, nearly all (96.6%) reported an unusual experience related to meditation, 58.4% reported an adverse effect on a standard inventory, 78.3% endorsed at least one item on a scale of meditation-related adverse effects, 31.4% said they had a challenging, difficult, or distressing experience, and 9.1% reported functional impairment due to such effects. Psychological distress, psychoticism, unusual beliefs, and attending a meditation retreat were each linked to more unusual experiences and adverse effects. The authors recommend informing potential meditators about possible experiences, considering risk factors, and routinely monitoring for adverse effects.

DOI: 10.1177/21677026241298269 Meditation Clinical psychology Population Adverse effect +7

The Prevalence of Dissociative Disorders and Spirit Possession in the General Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis With the Moderating Effect of Individualism–Collectivism on Prevalence Rates

Clinical Psychological Science September 15, 2025 Fabio Carraturo, Roberto Santonicola, Stefania Cella 3 citations

In a meta-analysis pooling data from multiple studies, individualism at the national level was positively associated with the prevalence of dissociative disorders. Women had higher odds than men of experiencing pathological dissociation (odds ratio 2.43) and spirit possession (odds ratio 4.31). A reliable 1-month prevalence estimate was obtained only for depersonalization disorder, at 1.12%. The findings are discussed within a framework that attempts to bridge trauma-based and sociocultural models of dissociation.

DOI: 10.1177/21677026251365927 Dissociative Odds ratio Depersonalization Possession linguistics +6