Beliefs about sleep paralysis in Turkey: Karabasan attack.
Transcultural Psychiatry June 1, 2021 Baland Jalal, H Sevde Eskici, Ceren Acarturk et al.
In a study of 59 Turkish college students who had experienced sleep paralysis, 88% knew it as the "Karabasan," a spirit-like creature from Turkish folklore. Seventeen percent believed their sleep paralysis might have been caused by this supernatural entity. To prevent future episodes, 37% used religious or supernatural methods such as supplicating to God (dua), reciting the Quran, or wearing a talisman (musqa) inscribed with Quranic verses. The findings illustrate how cultural beliefs shape the interpretation of sleep paralysis in Turkey, with the Karabasan providing a culturally specific supernatural explanation for the experience.