The International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis
Volume 58, Number 1 - January 2010 - English

Behavioral Persistence in Carrying Out a Posthypnotic Suggestion Beyond the Hypnotic Context: A Consideration of the Role of Perceived Demand Characteristics
ESTHER DAMASER, WAYNE G. WHITEHOUSE, MARTIN T. ORNE, EMILY CAROTA ORNE, & DAVID F. DINGES

Abstract: This paper investigated compliance with a long-term posthypnotic suggestion (PHS) to carry out a specific behavior in a subsequent nonhypnotic setting by high and medium hypnotizable participants. The target behavior—solicited by either a PHS given during hypnosis, a waking social request, or both—was to mail prepaid, self-addressed postcards to the experimenter on a daily basis for an unspecified period of time. Findings indicated that the waking request alone yielded a high level of compliance, particularly among medium hypnotizable participants. With the exception of a single individual, medium hypnotizables given only the PHS ceased responding in a very few days. In contrast, highly hypnotizable participants who received the PHS coupled with instructions for posthypnotic amnesia exhibited wide interindividual variation in their behavioral responses, whereas their high hypnotizable counterparts, who received either a waking request or a combination of PHS and waking request, performed similarly to medium hypnotizables given the same instructions.

Effects of Hypnosis as an Adjunct to Intravenous Sedation for Third Molar Extraction: A Randomized, Blind, and Controlled Study
EDWARD F. MACKEY

Abstract: The effects of hypnosis/therapeutic suggestion in connection with intravenous sedation and surgery have been described in many clinical publications; however, few randomized, controlled, and blind studies have been performed in the outpatient area. This study aimed to evaluate the use of hypnosis/therapeutic suggestion as an adjunct to intravenous (IV) sedation in patients having 3rd molar removal in an outpatient setting. The patients were randomly assigned to a treatment (n = 46) or control (n = 54) group. The treatment group listened to a rapid conversational induction and therapeutic suggestions via headphones throughout the entire surgical procedure along with standard sedation dose of intravenous anesthetic. The control group listened to only music without any hypnotic intervention. Intraoperative Propofol administration, patient postoperative pain ratings, and postoperative prescription pain reliever consumption were all significantly reduced in the treatment, compared to the control group. Implications of these results are discussed.

Hypnotizability, Posttraumatic Stress, and Depressive Symptoms in Metastatic Breast Cancer
ALEX S. KEUROGHLIAN, LISA D. BUTLER, ERIC NERI, & DAVID SPIEGEL

Abstract: This study assessed whether high hypnotizability is associated with posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms in a sample of 124 metastatic breast-cancer patients. Hypnotic Induction Profile Scores were dichotomized into low and high categories; posttraumatic intrusion and avoidance symptoms were measured with the Impact of Event Scale (IES); hyperarousal symptoms with items from the Profile of Mood States; and depressive symptoms with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression Scale. High hypnotizability was significantly related to greater IES total, IES intrusion symptoms, and depressive symptoms. A logistic regression model showed that IES total predicts high hypnotizability after adjusting for depressive symptoms and hyperarousal. The authors relate these results to findings in other clinical populations and discuss implications for the psychosocial treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

Hypnosis Treatment for Chronic Low Back Pain
GABRIEL TAN, TENLEY FUKUI, MARK P. JENSEN, JOHN THORNBY, AND KAREN L. WALDMAN

Abstract: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a significant healthcare problem; many individuals with CLBP remain unresponsive to available interventions. Previous research suggests that hypnosis is effective for many chronic pain conditions; however, data to support its efficacy for CLBP are outdated and have been limited primarily to case studies. This pilot study indicated that a brief, 4-session standardized self-hypnosis protocol, combined with psycho-education, significantly and substantially reduced pain intensity and pain interference. Significant session-to-session improvements were also noted on pain ratings and mood states; however, follow-up data suggest that these benefits may not have been maintained across time in this sample. These findings need to be replicated and confirmed in a larger clinical trial, which could also assess the long-term effects of this treatment.

Hypnotic Dreams as a Lens into Hypnotic Dynamics
AMIR RAZ, HEATHER R. SCHWEIZER, HONGTU ZHU, & ELIZABETH NELLIE BOWLES

Abstract: The hypnotic relationship is an important parameter for both experimental and therapeutic contexts. Hypnotic dreams may serve as a lens to examine the hypnotic relationship. By answering 5 questions per item, 70 judges rated 12 accounts of brief hypnotic dreams conducted as part of the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C. The data show that the judges were able to correctly discern highly from less hypnotizable individuals. Interestingly, highly hypnotizable females coached by a male hypnotic operator had more sexually charged dreams than either less hypnotizable females or males regardless of hypnotizability. These findings contextualize for further research and therapy transference issues related to the hypnotic relationship and the use of hypnotic dreams.

Hypnotizability and opinions about hypnosis in a clinical trial for the hypnotic control of pain and anxiety during pregnancy termination
ALEXANDRA DUFRESNE, PIERRE RAINVILLE, SYLVIE DODIN, PATRICK BARRÉ , BENOÎT MASSE, RENÉ VERREAULT, AND ISABELLE MARC

Abstract: This descriptive study evaluates the hypnoanalgesic experience’s effect on participants’ hypnotizability and opinions about hypnosis and identifies factors associated with hypnotizability. Hypnotizability was assessed using the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale: Form A in 290 women 1 month after their participation to a randomized clinical trial evaluating hypnotic intervention for pain/anxiety versus standard care during pregnancy termination. Opinions were collected before and after the intervention. The regression model describing hypnotizability (F = 13.55; p < .0001; R2 = 0.20) retained 5 variables but not the intervention group. The variable explaining most of total variance (62.9%) was the level of perceived automaticity/involuntariness. Opinions about hypnosis were modified by the hypnotic experience compared to standard care but were not associated with hypnotizability. Exposure to hypnoanalgesia did not influence hypnotizability but modifies significantly the opinions about hypnosis. Consistent with previous findings, perceived automaticity appears to best predict hypnotizability.

Efficacy of Hypnosis in the Treatment of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in Women: Rural and Urban Samples
ARREED BARABASZ, LINDA HIGLEY, CIARA CHRISTENSEN, AND MARIANNE BARABASZ

Abstract: This paper investigates the effect of hypnosis on immunity and whether this is the key mechanism in the hypnotic treatment of the genital infection caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease and can lead to cervical and other cancers. Current medical treatments are aimed at tissue assault (acids, freezing, surgery). Medical wart clearance rates are only 30 to 70% and reoccurrence is common. Our research contrasted hypnosis-only with medical-only therapies, using both urban hospital and rural community samples. Both hypnosis and medical therapy resulted in a statistically significant (p < .04) reduction in areas and numbers of lesions. Yet, at the 12-week follow-up, complete clearance rates were 5 to 1 in favor of hypnosis.

Hypnotizability and Sensorimotor Integration: Veering in Locomotion
MANUEL MENZOCCHI, GIULIA PAOLETTI, ALEXA HUBER, GIANCARLO CARLI, FRANCESCA I. CAVALLARO, DIEGO MANZONI, AND ENRICA L. SANTARCANGELO

Abstract: In highly hypnotizable individuals (highs), postural control is more independent of sensory information than in low hypnotizable subjects (lows). The aim of the study was to find out whether also locomotion is less affected in highs than in lows by visual suppression and changes in the neck proprioceptive input. Eighteen highs and 20 lows were asked to walk straight ahead, blindfolded, in basal conditions (face forward), during real and imagined right/left head rotation and mental computation. Highs detected deviations from the straight trajectory better than lows. Their walking direction was more straight during basal conditions and less influenced than the lows’ by mental computation and real/imagined rotation of the head. The results confirm highs’ lower dependence on sensory inputs, although this cannot be definitely attributed to a better internal representation of space or to higher behavioural automaticity.