Spirit Possession as a Trauma-Related Disorder in Uganda
The Neurocritic (noreply@blogger.com)
The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has waged a long and brutal campaign to overthrow the government of Uganda. Rape and torture are commonly used tactics. Children are kidnapped and forced to serve as soldiers — children and youth comprise almost 90% of the LRA, according to the UN. These child soldiers experience incredibly high rates of trauma exposure, post-traumatic stress, and depression. A recent study examined the culturally-specific psychological syndrome of spirit possession in this popul