Qualitative analysis of phenomenaand symptoms associated with possession

‘Possession’ relates to change in behavior and a sense of identity, attributed to supernatural forces. The ‘possessed’ often seek help from priests, hoping that exorcisms will help them restore a sense of control over their body, speech or mind. There are Christian communities in Poland, where individual and group exorcisms are held regularly. Studies show that people with ‘possession’ have often experienced traumatic events in life, including emotional, physical or sexual abuse, but they rarely link these events with possession. Unfortunately, focusing on possession and exorcisms can delay treatment, divert attention from problems in the family, and also have potentially re-traumatising effect, in the case of people with trauma history. Although ‘possession’ has been the focus of interest for many anthropologists, not many psychological studies have been carried out on the subject, even though the symptoms relating to possession are described in psychiatric manuals. So far, comprehensive clinical examination methods have never been applied to 'possessoin' cases in order to understand the dynamics of the symptoms or for diagnostic purposes.

The main objective of this project is to analyse and produce a systematic description of the phenomena and of the symptoms accompanying possession. Additionally, researchers will compare different clinical presentations of possession against diagnostic criteria of various disorders, analyse alterations in consciousness and behavior in terms of memory, sense of control, the accompanying affects and other clinically significant symptoms. They will also explore how people make meaning of their experiences and how they seek help.

Researchers will recruit study particpants from among members of Christian groups, who report being possessed and who seek help through exorcisms. The 'possessed' will participate in in-depth interviews related to changes in their behavior and identity. Additionally, they will take part in diagnostic interviews and mental state assessments, performed by a psychiatrist. Transcripts of the in-depth interviews will be subject to interpretative phenomenological analysis. This popular qualitative methodology is used in psychology to study how individuals experience and interpret phenomena under investigation. Clinical presentations will be analysed separately for differential diagnosis and to describe symptoms in reference to the theory of structural dissociation of personality. The project team will include psychologists, psychotherapists and a psychiatrist who are experienced in research and clinical work.

The project will contribute to the development of knowledge about the phenomenon and the symptoms accompanying ‘possession’. It will allow to understand how the symptoms are experienced and interpreted and what coping strategies the affected people use to regain a sense of control over their behavior. Additoinally, the study will help to identify and systematize the symptoms of clinical significance.

The project will also increase knowledge on how culture affects the expression of symptoms, which will further contribute to clinical psychology, psychology of religion, and medical anthropology.