Beliefs about sleep paralysis in Turkey: Karabasan attack.

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.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The present study examined explanations of sleep paralysis (SP) in Turkey. The participants were 59 college students recruited in İstanbul, Turkey, who had experienced SP at least once in their lifetime. Participants were administered the Sleep Paralysis Experiences and Phenomenology Questionnaire (SP-EPQ) in an interview. When asked whether they had heard of a name for SP, the vast majority (88%) mentioned the "Karabasan"-a spirit-like creature rooted in Turkish folk tradition. Seventeen percent of the participants believed that their SP might have been caused by this supernatural creature. Thirty-seven percent of participants applied various supernatural and religious methods to prevent future SP attacks such as dua (supplicating to God), reciting the Quran, and wearing a musqa (a type of talisman inscribed with Quranic verses). Case studies are presented to illustrate these findings. The Karabasan constitutes a culturally specific, supernatural interpretation of the phenomenology of SP in Turkey.