Dissociation in Alternative Healers and Traditional Therapists: A Comparative Study

Nineteen psychiatry residents were compared to 12 community-based alternative healers on the Dissociative Experiences Scale and the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule. Neither group showed evidence of extensive psychopathology. However, the alternative healers reported more Schneiderian symptoms, extrasensory experiences, and secondary features of multiple personality disorder. Among the healers, these experiences did not seem to be indicative of psychopathology, and were in fact valued and sought after. Dissociative experiences are not necessarily indicators of psychiatric disorder in nonclinical groups.