Djinnati Syndrome in Baluchestan: The Role of Traumatic and Abuse Experiences on Individual Vulnerability

Djinnati is a culture-bound syndrome in Baluchestan, Iran. Experts believe that dissociation theory is more suitable for providing a psychopathological description of this syndrome in this region. In addition, they highlight the need for investigating its pathology, particularly the role of factors such as traumatic and abuse experiences during childhood. According to the 4th edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-IV-TR) (1), "the essential feature of dissociative disorders is a disruption in the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity, or perception of the environment. The disturbance may be sudden or gradual, transient or chronic". According to DSM-IV-TR, dissociative disorders include: dissociative identity disorder, depersonalization disorder, dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue and unspecified dissociative disorder. A dissociate disorder not otherwise specified (NOS) is a disorder that includes a dissociative symptom (i.e. disturbance in the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity or perception of the environment), that does not meet the criteria for any specific dissociative disorder. In addition, according to DSM a dissociative state may be defined as a dissociative trance disorder that includes a possession or trance state. Dissociative trance disorder is a single or episodic disturbance in the state of consciousness , identity, or memory that are indigenous to particular locations and cultures. Dissociative trance involves narrowing of awareness of immediate surroundings or stereotyped behaviors or movements that are experienced as being beyond one's control. Possession trance involves replacement of the customary sense of personal identity or a new identity, attributed to the influence of a spirit, power, deity, or other person, and is associated with stereotyped " involuntary " movements or amnesia. It is probably the most prevalent dissociative disorder in Asia. The dissociative or trance disorder is not a normal part of a broadly accepted collective cultural or religious practice. Many culture-related syndromes, such as amok, be-bainan, latah, pibloktoq, ataque de nervios and possession , shin-byung, enchantment, lack of spirit, Zar and djinnati (2, 3), are considered as dissociative disorders. Culture-bound syndromes include a set of psychological phenomena that are of interest to psychologists and psychiatrists. The eclectic nature of this syndrome has made it difficult to have a precise definition. Thus, deciding on a specific definition has been controversial. According to DSM, the term culture-bound syndrome denotes a locality specific pattern and repetition of an aberrant behavior and troubling experience that may or may not be linked to a particular DSM-IV …