TY - JOUR
T1 - The 'Zar' possession syndrome among Ethiopian immigrants to Israel
T2 - Cultural and clinical aspects
AU - Witztum, Eliezer
AU - Grisaru, Nimrod
AU - Budowski, Danny
PY - 1996/1/1
Y1 - 1996/1/1
N2 - This article describes a cultural pattern related to altered stales of consciousness, observed amongst new immigrants from Ethiopia in Israel. The beiief in possession by Zar spirits is one of the most common possession phenomena in Africa and in other continents. Possession by Zar is expressed by a wide range of behaviours, such as involuntary movements (often resembling epileptiform convulsions), mutism and incomprehensible language. Such behaviour can be misinterpreted as representing symptoms of neurologic or psychiatric disorders. Such misinterpretation has led to inappropriate psychiatric admissions and to misdiagnosis of such cases as major psychiatric disorders. The article illustrates the Zar phenomenon by three clinical vignettes and discusses its cultural and anthropological aspects, as well as its clinical implications within a Western society.
AB - This article describes a cultural pattern related to altered stales of consciousness, observed amongst new immigrants from Ethiopia in Israel. The beiief in possession by Zar spirits is one of the most common possession phenomena in Africa and in other continents. Possession by Zar is expressed by a wide range of behaviours, such as involuntary movements (often resembling epileptiform convulsions), mutism and incomprehensible language. Such behaviour can be misinterpreted as representing symptoms of neurologic or psychiatric disorders. Such misinterpretation has led to inappropriate psychiatric admissions and to misdiagnosis of such cases as major psychiatric disorders. The article illustrates the Zar phenomenon by three clinical vignettes and discusses its cultural and anthropological aspects, as well as its clinical implications within a Western society.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=18044397124&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.2044-8341.1996.tb01865.x
DO - 10.1111/j.2044-8341.1996.tb01865.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 8883974
AN - SCOPUS:18044397124
VL - 69
SP - 207
EP - 225
JO - Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice
JF - Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice
SN - 1476-0835
IS - 3
ER -