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Demonic possession and mental disorder in medieval and early modern Europe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Simon Kemp  and
Kevin Williams
Simon Kemp*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
Kevin Williams
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
*
1 Address for correspondence: Dr. S. Kemp, Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
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Synopsis

Western European belief in demonic possession as a cause of mental disorder has been traced through the medieval and early modern periods. Generally it appears that the range of disorders attributed to demonic possession has gradually narrowed. In any period, however, there seem to have been marked individual and cultural differences in outlook; some of these differences are still evident today in the survival of belief in demonic possession in pentecostal sects.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 17 , Issue 1 , February 1987 , pp. 21 - 29
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

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