Abstract
The limited literature on trauma and psychopathology in the Philippines makes virtually no reference to dissociation or dissociative disorders. This article reviews descriptions of religious rituals, reports of spirit possession, case study material, and results from the author's study (Gingrich, 2004). These findings indicate that dissociative phenomena, and dissociative disorders, including dissociative identity disorder, are present in the Philippines. Whether these dissociative experiences manifest themselves in culturally specific or more universal ways is discussed in terms of the Filipino view of self and other aspects of the cultural context. The article places the Philippines in its historical and cultural context, examines the literature on trauma and abuse in the Philippines, discusses local views on dissociation, looks at indicators of a possible link between trauma and dissociation, and makes recommendations for future research.
