Santeria, a religious system blending African and Catholic beliefs practiced by many Cuban Americans, includes a belief in spirit possession. Basic beliefs and rituals, such as the fiesta santera where possession may occur, are described. Four cases illustrate how patients' belief in possession complicated the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. The belief should not be considered a culture-bound syndrome but rather a nonspecific symptom of various mental illnesses, to be evaluated within the patient's overall belief system and daily functioning.
Interviews with twenty frequent attendees of a midweek service at an independent urban black church revealed that different aspects of the service produced distinct psychological experiences. Testimony was described as an ineffable, explicitly religious experience; Holy Ghost possession provided an emotionally ecstatic feeling that also produced a sense of relief; dancing and speaking in tongues were intense individualistic experiences, with speaking in tongues being more explicitly religious. The service as a whole imparted feelings of group closeness and strength. The authors note that participants' responses correspond to several curative factors associated with group psychotherapy and suggest that the black church service is a functional community mental health resource for its participants.