Current Research and Gaps in Dhat Syndrome

Dhat syndrome has been described as a culture-bound syndrome in the classificatory systems. The present chapter discusses the research pursuits undertaken for Dhat syndrome. Much of the research has been observational studies, and has originated from India. Phenomenological research has been primarily the focus while treatment focussed studies are minimal. The research gaps and methodological challenges in the research on Dhat syndrome are discussed in this chapter. The major gaps include a lack of interventional studies, unclear longitudinal course of illness, limited biological research limited, lack of information on the economic impact of the disorder and burden on individuals, lack of research on Dhat syndrome in the LGBTQIA population and sparse community-based information.