Sleep paralysis in Italy: Frequency, hallucinatory experiences, and other features.
Transcultural Psychiatry June 1, 2021 Baland Jalal, Andrea Romanelli, Devon E Hinton
In Italy's Abruzzo region, where supernatural beliefs about sleep paralysis (SP) are common, 78% of 67 participants who had experienced SP at least once reported hallucinations during episodes. Lifetime rates of SP, duration of immobility, and fear were elevated compared to cultures without such traditions, with 42% fearing they could die from the experience. Cultural beliefs, such as the Pandafeche creature, may shape the phenomenology of sleep paralysis.