Abstract
The consideration of culture-bound syndromes is important for both the practitioner and the academician in the treatment and study of the psychopathology in a given region of the world. The mental health professional would as a result be better able understand normal behavior patterns of that culture and to communicate with patients and “local healers” of that culture in a nonjudgmental manner. This piece presented a study of Djinnati, a culture-bound syndrome and possession trance disorder, found in Baluchistan of Iran and Pakistan. The main characteristics of ten observed cases of Djinnati are presented, including episodes of impaired consciousness followed by agitation, restlessness, hallucination and incoherent speech. The episode/attack is seen as a possession wherein the patient introduced herself as a discrete identity or entity known as “Djin.” The psychopathology of the Djinnati culture-bound syndrome was discussed in the light of Socio-cultural, Communication, and Dissociation/psychoanalytic theories. The authors conclude that Dissociation theory is most effective of the three in explaining the psychopathology of Djinnati syndrome in Iran.