Dissociation From a Cross-Cultural Perspective

Abstract

A major issue in the study of dissociation concerns the cross-cultural validity of definitions and measurements used to identify and classify dissociative disorders. There is also extensive debate on the etiological factors underlying dissociative experiences. Cross-cultural research is essential to elucidate these issues, particularly regarding evidence obtained from countries in which the study of dissociation is still in its infancy. The aim of this article was to discuss Brazilian research on the topic of dissociation, highlighting its contributions for the understanding of dissociative experiences in nonclinical populations and for the validity and relevance of dissociative disorders in the contexts of psychiatry, psychology, and psychotherapy. We also consider the ways in which dissociative experiences are assimilated by Brazilian culture and religious expressions, and the implications of Brazilian studies for the sociocultural investigation of dissociation. We conclude by addressing the limitations of these studies and potential areas for future research.

How psychiatrists think about religious and spiritual beliefs in clinical practice: findings from a university hospital in São Paulo, Brazil

“…More recently, a culturally sensitive understanding of these experiences has emerged, and specific diagnostic criteria have been developed to help differentiate pathological from culturally accepted and healthy spiritual manifestations 37. Still, mental health professionals do not generally receive adequate training to address the R/S aspects of their patients,38 including experiences of possession, which would be of paramount importance for avoiding erroneous diagnoses and iatrogenic symptoms 37,39…”

Psychology of Religion Approaches to the Study of Religious Experience

“…Maraldi and Krippner describe the debate between the cultural and experience sources hypotheses, which parallels, and to some extent overlaps with, the constructionist / common core debates in religious studies, but indicate that the stronger theories, acknowledge the interplay of both factors. In their view, the discussion regarding whether culture or universal features has primacy in accounting for AEs seems not particularly fruitful, as both factors are probably present in many if not every AE with different degrees of influence, with some AEs more directly affected by cultural expectations and beliefs (such as mediumship, (Maraldi et al 2017), whereas other AEs serve as the experiential bases for a wide range of beliefs (such as sleep paralysis, Hufford 1982).…”

Interconexão entre saúde, espiritualidade e religiosidade

“…Dedicando-se, inicialmente, ao estudo do magnetismo e à investigação científica das chamadas 'mesas girantes', eventos em que se observava o movimento de mesas e outros objetos sem a interferência humana, Kardec passou a se interessar por outros fenômenos paranormais ou experiências anômalas, constatando que muitos deles não eram 'patológicos' e sim causados por espíritos desencarnados ou inteligências incorpóreas que se utilizavam de indivíduos ('médiuns', do latim 'intermediários') dotados de uma propriedade peculiar ('mediunidade' ou 'capacidade de intermediar') para se manifestar perante o mundo corpóreo 135 . Vale ressaltar que diversos experimentos evidenciam a existência desses fenômenos paranormais, experiências espirituais, estados alterados de consciência ou experiências anômalas [135][136][137][138][139][140] , sendo foco de estudo de institutos de pesquisa nacionais 141,142 e internacionais 143 .…”

“…Mais recentemente, critérios diagnósticos e protocolos específicos foram desenvolvidos para ajudar a diferenciar as manifestações patológicas das manifestações espirituais saudáveis e culturalmente aceitas 138,156 , trazendo uma nova compreensão para essas vivências. No entanto, os profissionais da saúde não recebem treinamento adequado para lidar com os aspectos espirituais de seus pacientes, incluindo essas experiências anômalas de transe e de obsessão, o qual seria de suma importância para se evitarem diagnósticos incorretos e condutas terapêuticas iatrogênicas 139 .…”