International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis最新文献

The importance of attitudes and beliefs in relation to people's behavior, both in general and within the context of psychological treatment, is undeniable. This is especially true in the field of hypnosis, where misinformation and myths are widespread. In response to a request from, and as a tribute to, Professor Steven Jay Lynn, we summarize the status of the Valencia Scales of Attitudes and Beliefs toward Hypnosis, both the client (VSABH-C) and therapist (VSABH-T) versions. A literature review was conducted in May 2024 across nine databases. The only inclusion criterion was that the studies had to cite and/or use either or both versions of the VSABH scales as a measurement instrument. A total of 73 references were selected and classified into four categories: psychometric analyses, use of the scales, citations, and unpublished references. The findings indicate that the VSABHs are widely used, useful, robust, and versatile scales with international projection, and its 37-item version is recommended. Scholars and practitioners are encouraged to continue the psychometric and applied study of these scales and to undertake adaptation processes in different languages, cultures, and samples, adhering to the guidelines set forth by the International Test Commission (ITC) rather than relying solely on reverse translations.

An online survey of 103 clinicians using hypnosis was conducted to gain a broad real-world view of current practices, experiences, and perspectives on clinical hypnosis in Brazil. This research replicated a form focused on identifying clinical hypnosis practices across 31 countries, contributing to a global perspective on this intervention modality. The present study employed descriptive statistics in its data analysis. According to respondents, among the 36 most common uses of hypnosis, improving well-being, enhancing self-esteem, reducing stress, and controlling specific phobias and anxiety were reported as the most clinically effective applications. In Brazil, 90.3% of hypnotherapists do not consider hypnotizability relevant to the success of hypnotherapy. Concerns were raised about the technical-professional training of Brazilian hypnotherapists. This is the first investigation into hypnosis practices in Brazil. Although hypnosis has been regulated for over two decades by professional health councils, such as the Federal Council of Medicine and the Federal Council of Psychology, efforts to promote evidence-based practices must be made to address the identified gaps.

Interoception - the sense of the body - includes the perception of visceral signals and its integration with many other information in the central nervous system. Hypnotizability levels are associated with interoceptive accuracy and sensitivity, likely due to different insula gray matter volume, and different availability of vascular nitric oxide during sensory and cognitive tasks in peripheral arteries and in the brain. This theoretical review deals with the relevance of possible hypnotizability-related nitric oxide availability at various levels of the central nervous system to interoception and, consequently, to physiological and pathological conditions, such as emotion, sleep disturbance, eating behavior, and cardiovascular illness. Moreover, the review suggests that hypnotic assessment could be a predictor of the efficacy of therapies based on improvement of interoception.

Hypnosis is vastly underused despite strong evidence supporting its efficacy in the context of cancer care. Little is known about what providers need to feel confident moving from education in hypnosis to using hypnosis in clinical care. The goal of this study was to examine cancer care providers' ongoing needs post-hypnosis training to inform the development of future hypnosis training programs. We qualitatively examined open-ended responses about post-training implementation from trainees (n = 70) of our Hypnosis for Cancer Pain training program. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Four main themes regarding challenges to real-world implementation of clinical hypnosis were identified: 1) How do I "pitch" hypnosis to the people in my health system?; 2) How do I conduct hypnosis in my native habitat (aka the messy, imperfect real world)?; 3) How do I move "off-book" and improvise?; and, 4) I'd feel more secure with a "buddy system." These challenges have direct implications for the development of future hypnosis training programs to better facilitate post-training provider implementation.

Ankle sprains are one of the more common musculoskeletal injuries in active populations and can develop into chronic ankle instability (CAI), a condition with uncertain etiology and symptoms that include poor dynamic balance, the ability to maintain balance during movement. The components of CAI are psychophysiological and biomechanical, indicating mind-body connections that can influence the development and persistence of this condition. Preliminary evidence suggests that self-hypnosis, a mind-body therapy, can restore physical performance in conditions like CAI. Twenty-four participants with CAI participated in this experimental pilot study, with a crossover design, to investigate the relationship between self-reported measures of ankle instability and other psychological factors with performance-based measures of dynamic balance and heart rate variability (HRV). Participants also received an 8-minute, self-hypnosis session to determine its influence on balance performance. Perceived ankle instability and dynamic balance were not associated with enhancement-based (interoceptive awareness, self-efficacy) or limit-based (kinesiophobia, anxiety) psychological factors. Perceived anxiety was not associated with HRV. Hypnosis was modestly effective in improving direction-specific (lateral) dynamic balance.

Despite its benefits, hypnosis remains underutilized in dental practice, largely due to misconceptions. This study assessed its use and perception among dentists in German-speaking countries. A validated questionnaire was distributed to a total of 1,081 members of hypnosis societies in Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, yielding 271 replies (response rate: 25.1%). Of these, 57.6% were retired or nearing retirement, and only 10% had graduated in the past 15 years. Most (64.2%) first encountered hypnosis during postgraduate training, while 91.1% supported its inclusion in pre-graduate dental curricula. Hypnosis was primarily used by experienced practitioners, with 36% using it daily and 80% regarding it as a primary approach for uncooperative patients. It was seen as equally effective for both sexes by 56.8%, though 42.1% found it particularly beneficial for female patients. While 81.6% considered it a viable alternative to pharmacologic sedation, 19.6% preferred agents like nitrous oxide. Early integration into dental education and targeted training could overcome barriers, enhance implementation, and benefit both practitioners and patients.

This article presents a case of a patient whose treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) involved a modification of gut-directed hypnotherapy (GDH). It was delivered in a nonstandard schedule and integrated concepts from other therapeutic modalities, primarily mindfulness meditation and narrative therapy. A review of the literature on GDH and prior modifications, as well as other iterations of integrative hypnosis, will be provided. Along with describing the case, a rationale for the treatment and examples of the modification will be presented.

The main objective of this systematic review is to comprehensively describe and evaluate the evidence on hypnotherapy for smoking cessation. Included studies were comprised of adults, had measurable objective/subjective data reflecting smoking cessation, hypnosis or hypnotherapy studied alone or as part of a multicomponent intervention, and at least ten participants. A total of 745 nonduplicate publications were screened, and 63 papers were included for analysis. Based on 33 of these studies, 66.7% reported a positive impact of the hypnosis intervention for smoking cessation. Positive impact studies had longer average treatment duration, greater number of hypnotherapy sessions, and utilized both self-report and objective measures of smoking cessation outcome (40.9% of positive studies using both vs 20% of no impact studies). The efficacy of hypnotherapy for smoking cessation is positive; however, more studies using biologically confirmed abstinence and reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked are needed. Hypnotherapy is a useful approach for smoking cessation that warrants additional inquiry. Future studies are needed that assess treatment fidelity and hypnotizability, provide information on race/ethnicity, and report on side effects and adverse events.

For over a decade, the growing use of smartphone apps provided a way to make hypnotherapy more widely accessible. However, available apps vary widely in the quality of hypnosis provided to users. This study systematically reviewed apps delivering some form of hypnotherapy intervention and summarized their characteristics. Using hypnosis-related search terms, a list of apps was generated, yielding 679 unique hypnosis apps across both Android and iOS stores, and 168 apps met inclusion criteria for this review. The most common app targets were sleep (k = 94, 56.0%), relaxation/meditation (k = 92, 54.8%), and stress (k = 62, 36.9%). Only 34 (20.2%) of the apps indicated that the developer or person providing hypnosis was trained in hypnosis. Thirteen (7.7%) apps included some claim of evidence-based treatment. Only four apps reported inclusion in a clinical efficacy trial. Relationships between key app characteristics were explored using chi-square analysis. Though hypnotherapy apps have much potential in health care, apps based upon evidence-based protocols and empirical research are limited at this time.

The objective of this study was to determine the model fit of a standardized hypnotizability measure in a targeted clinical sample. The Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (SHSS:C) was administered to 168 post-menopausal women aged 39 to 75 years. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted, and comparative fit index (CFI) and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) were used to determine goodness of fit. Results indicated that the single-factor structure modeled with twelve indicators based on the individual items on the SHSS:C provided the best description of fit. Results of the present study demonstrate that the SHSS:C has a single-factor structure. These findings suggest that new scales of hypnotizability can be optimized by focusing on the use of items that correlate highly with the overall score representing the unidimensional construct of hypnotizability. The findings should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size, and further research is needed with other populations to clarify generalizability.