A Study of Patients Attending Mehandipur Balaji Temple : Psychiatric and Psychodynamic Aspects1

A sample of 100 patients were selected randomly from 10 dharamshalas who qualified the diagnosis of neuroses and developed "trance". They were subjected to tests of suggestability, intelligence, guilt, hostility and neuroticism. Patients with "trance" were significantly more suggestible and expressed more hostility and guilt as compared to those who did not develop trance. Significant differences were found on I.Q, and level of neuroticism in trance and non-trance patients as well. No significant differences were observed on suggestibility, I.Q., hostility, guilt and level of neuroticism in patients who developed trance either early or delayed.Hysterial patients with trance and non-hysterical patients with trance failed to differ on suggestibility, I.Q. and projective measures of hostility and guilt. The significance of these factors in the development of trance and cure of psychoneurotic patients in context of our cultural background and faith healing practices has been discussed.