Research in Brief: Sleep paralysis in Italy: Terrifying ghosts and witches – and symptoms of psychopathology (PTSD and depression)
Baland Jalal, Andrea Romanelli, Devon E Hinton
PsyPag Quarterly March 1, 2019 DOI: 10.53841/bpspag.2019.1.110.8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 67 |
| Population | People in Italy |
| Topics | Depression PTSD |
| Key findings | Fear during sleep paralysis was associated with trauma and symptoms of depression in a sample of 67 people in Italy. The authors argue this supports the view that sleep paralysis is shaped by cultural beliefs, citing prior findings that Italian beliefs about the experience have worsened and increased it. |
Abstract
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 the present study (N = 67) conducted in Italy, we found that fear during SP was associated with trauma and symptoms of depression. These findings support the idea that SP has been radically shaped by cultural beliefs.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on PTSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Using Low Doses in a Small Sample of Women with Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Women with chronic PTSD secondary to sexual assault | 2008 | Observational cohort | n = 6 |
| An Ambulatory Polysomnography Study of the Post-traumatic Nightmares of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment-seeking veterans, current serving military members, and emergency service... | 2017 | Observational study using ambulatory polysomnography | n = 35 |
| Increased Mastery Elements Associated With Imagery Rehearsal Treatment for Nightmares in Sexual Assault Survivors With PTSD. Female sexual assault survivors with chronic nightmares | 2004 | Observational cohort | n = 44 |
| Posttraumatic stress symptoms following near-death experiences. Persons who report near-death experiences and those who came close to death without NDEs | 2001 | Observational study | |
| Impact of oral ketamine augmentation on hospital admissions in treatment-resistant depression and PTSD: a retrospective study. Outpatients with treatment-resistant depression and PTSD | 2018 | Retrospective review | n = 37 |
Citations in the library
Cites 9
- Sleep Paralysis, “The Ghostly Bedroom Intruder” and Out-of-Body Experiences: The Role of Mirror Neurons Frontiers in Human Neuroscience February 27, 2017
- Sleep paralysis in Italy: Frequency, hallucinatory experiences, and other features. Transcultural Psychiatry June 1, 2021
- How to make the ghosts in my bedroom disappear? Focused-attention meditation combined with muscle relaxation (MR therapy)—a direct treatment intervention for sleep paralysis Frontiers in Psychology July 4, 2016
- Cultural Explanations of Sleep Paralysis in Italy: The Pandafeche Attack and Associated Supernatural Beliefs. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry December 2015
- Sleep Paralysis Among Egyptian College Students: Association With Anxiety Symptoms (PTSD, Trait Anxiety, Pathological Worry). The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease November 1, 2015
and 4 more in the library