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The effects of hypnosis and hypnotizability testing on chronic pain

Goran, Debra Kay
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1055777572

Abstract Details

1991, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Psychology.
The current study had two main purposes: to examine the usefulness of Ericksonian hypnosis in the treatment of chronic pain, and to explore the usefulness of the Stanford Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility in pre-selecting chronic pain patients for hypnotic intervention. To accomplish these goals, chronic pain patients were assigned to one of three treatments and given a single one-hour session of Ericksonian hypnosis with suggestions for pain control, suggestions for pain control with no hypnotic induction, or an interview about their painful condition. Participants reported their pain levels and the degree to which their pain was disturbing to them at the beginning and end of the session. Changes occurred in ratings of physical pain and ratings of emotional distress (bother) within the treatment session. It was found that within the treatment hour, hypnosis plus suggestion was more successful in reducing pain and distress than was suggestion alone, and that both were superior to the interview control treatment. Furthermore it was found that those who were not given the Stanford Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility until the end of the study improved more than those who were tested prior to treatment. Scores on the Stanford Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility did not correlate with improvements in pain or distress. Unlike many studies using healthy volunteers with e xperimentally induced pain, participants in the present study did not benefit equally from pain control suggestions with and without hypnotic induction. The Stanford Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility did not predict which participants would be successful in reducing their discomfort. Finally, administration of the Stanford Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility prior to treatment appeared to be detrimental to participants' chances of improvement.
n/a n/a (Advisor)
92 p.
hypnosis; hypnotizability testing; chronic pain

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Goran, D. K. (1991). The effects of hypnosis and hypnotizability testing on chronic pain [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1055777572

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Goran, Debra. The effects of hypnosis and hypnotizability testing on chronic pain. 1991. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1055777572.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Goran, Debra. "The effects of hypnosis and hypnotizability testing on chronic pain." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 1991. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1055777572

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1055777572
644
© 1991, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.