Research in Brief: Sleep paralysis in Italy: Terrifying ghosts and witches – and symptoms of psychopathology (PTSD and depression)
PsyPag Quarterly March 1, 2019 Baland Jalal, Andrea Romanelli, Devon E Hinton
A recent study found that over a third of Italians (in Abruzzo) believe their sleep paralysis (SP) might be caused by the Pandafeche – a supernatural creature (Jalal et al., 2015). Research also suggests that SP in Italy has been shaped by local cultural beliefs, which have worsened the experience (e.g. longer paralysis and excessive fear) and made it more frequent; a mind-body interaction. In...