Clin Psychol Rev
July 26, 2011
Stefan G Hofmann, Paul Grossman, Devon E Hinton
945 citations
Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) and compassion meditation (CM) are practices that aim to foster unconditional kindness and compassion. A review of the literature indicates that these practices are associated with increased positive affect and decreased negative affect. Neuroendocrine studies suggest that CM may reduce stress-induced subjective distress and immune response. Neuroimaging findings suggest that LKM and CM may enhance activity in brain areas involved in emotional processing and empathy. Preliminary intervention studies support their use in clinical populations. When combined with empirically supported treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy, LKM and CM may help address psychological problems involving interpersonal processes, including depression, social anxiety, marital conflict, anger, and the strains of long-term caregiving.
Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry
September 1, 2011
Angela Nickerson, Devon E Hinton
38 citations
Anger is common among Cambodian refugees, often triggered by marital discord and leading to verbal and physical violence and sometimes suicidality. Buddhist monks in Massachusetts identify Buddhist-based anger management strategies, including education about Buddhist doctrines, mindfulness meditation, and the use of herbal medication and holy water, as useful interventions. These approaches are discussed in relation to Buddhist beliefs and Western psychological treatments.
Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry
September 1, 2020
Devon E Hinton, Ria Reis, Joop De Jong
17 citations
Among Cambodian refugees at a psychiatric clinic, ghost encounters are a central part of how trauma is experienced and expressed. Fifty-four percent of patients had been bothered by ghost encounters in the past month. The severity of being bothered by ghosts was strongly correlated with PTSD severity. Among those bothered by ghosts, 85.2% had PTSD, compared to 15.4% of those not bothered, an odds ratio of 31.8. Ghost visitations occurred in three states of consciousness: during full sleep (dreams), hypnagogia (sleep paralysis or hallucinations while falling asleep or waking), and full waking (hallucinations, visual aura, chills, or leg cramps).
Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry
December 1, 2021
Devon E Hinton
In a psychiatric refugee clinic for survivors of the Khmer Rouge genocide, 42% of patients reported auditory hallucinations in the past month. Among those with hallucinations, 87% had PTSD, compared to 31% of those without, yielding an odds ratio of 14.8. Most hallucinations were of a "ghost summoning" (khmaoch hao), an exhortation to go with a ghost, experienced by 73% of hallucinating patients. The voices were always exterior, usually loud and clear, and most often occurred during hypnagogia (upon falling asleep or awakening). Hallucinations were almost always attributed to a ghost, causing great fear of having the soul called away or being frightened to death, and nearly always triggered trauma recall. Auditory hallucination appears to be a key part of Cambodian bioculturally shaped trauma subjectivity.
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.
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.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
May 18, 2020
Paulina Wróbel-knybel, Hanna Karakuła-juchnowicz, Michał Flis et al.
Sleep paralysis affects about 7.6% of the general population, but among Polish university students in Lublin the rate is 32%, higher than the 28.3% average for other student populations. Somatic symptoms dominate: 94% of those reporting sleep paralysis experienced physical sensations, most commonly rapid heartbeat (76%); 93% reported fear, especially fear of death (46%); and 66% had hallucinations, mostly visual (37%). More frequent episodes were linked to shorter sleep and sleeping on the back. Severity of physical symptoms correlated with lifestyle factors and anxiety. A substantial number of students experience recurrent sleep paralysis accompanied by fear and physical distress.
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
November 1, 2015
Baland Jalal, Devon E Hinton
Among 100 Egyptian college students in Cairo, 43% reported at least one lifetime episode of sleep paralysis (SP), and 24% of those had four or more episodes in the previous year. Women accounted for 86% of SP experiences, men for 14%. Compared to those without SP, participants who experienced it reported higher symptoms of PTSD, trait anxiety, and pathological worry. Hallucinations during SP were strongly linked to PTSD and trait anxiety symptoms, even after controlling for negative affect.