Zār Spirit Possession in Iran and African Countries: Group Distress, Culture-Bound Syndrome or Cultural Concept of Distress?
Iranian Journal of Psychiatry September 1, 2015 Fahimeh Mianji, Yousef Semnani
Zār is a form of spirit possession found in northern and eastern Africa and parts of the Middle East. Its prevalence, clinical features, and social context differ across regions, despite shared cultural roots from a history of slavery. This review examines how zār is classified in DSM-IV and DSM-V, and how it manifests in Iran, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Egypt. The paper aims to help mental health clinicians understand zār as a cultural concept, especially for Iranian, Middle Eastern, and African immigrants living near the Persian Gulf coast.