This randomized controlled trial examined the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a mindful hypnotherapy intervention (MHI) integrating positive psychology suggestions to enhance well-being in older adults. Sixty-two community-dwelling adults aged 60-95 years were randomized to MHI, non-hypnotic relaxation, or wait-list control. The four-session intervention combined hypnotic induction, guided imagery, and suggestions targeting gratitude, savoring, self-compassion, acceptance, positive relationships, hope, and optimism, followed by post-hypnotic cues to support self-practice. Outcomes included happiness, life satisfaction, affect balance, and psychological distress; semi-structured interviews explored participants' subjective experiences. A multivariate analysis controlling for baseline scores revealed a significant overall treatment effect, F(8, 104) = 2.88, p = .006, partial eta 2 = .18. Compared with controls, MHI participants reported higher happiness, life satisfaction, and affect balance, and lower distress. Qualitative findings indicated increased calmness, gratitude, emotional regulation, and perceived interpersonal benefits. The findings provide preliminary support for hypnosis as a potential medium for delivering strengths-based psychological content associated with resilience and well-being. The MHI demonstrated feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary benefits, supporting further investigation in larger, more rigorously controlled trials. Achtsamkeitsbasierte Hypnotherapie zur F & ouml;rderung des Wohlbefindens bei & auml;lteren Erwachsenen: Eine randomisierte klinische Studie mit gemischten MethodenIntervention d'hypnoth & eacute;rapie bas & eacute;e sur la pleine conscience pour le bien-& ecirc;tre des personnes & acirc;g & eacute;es : un essai clinique randomis & eacute; utilisant des m & eacute;thodes mixtesChnanis Kongsuwan LadhaZusammenfassung: Diese randomisierte kontrollierte Studie untersuchte die Durchf & uuml;hrbarkeit und vorl & auml;ufige Wirksamkeit einer achtsamkeitsbasierten Hypnotherapie (MHI), die Suggestionen der positiven Psychologie integriert, um das Wohlbefinden & auml;lterer Erwachsener zu steigern. 62 zu Hause lebende Erwachsene im Alter von 60 bis 95 Jahren wurden randomisiert der MHI, einer nicht-hypnotischen Entspannungstechnik oder einer Wartelisten-Kontrollgruppe zugewiesen. Die aus vier Sitzungen bestehende Intervention kombinierte hypnotische Induktion, gef & uuml;hrte Visualisierung und Suggestionen, die auf Dankbarkeit, das Genie ss en des Augenblicks, Selbstmitgef & uuml;hl, Akzeptanz, positive Beziehungen, Hoffnung und Optimismus abzielten, gefolgt von posthypnotischen Hinweisen zur Unterst & uuml;tzung der Selbstpraxis. Zu den Ergebnisma ss en z & auml;hlten Gl & uuml;ck, Lebenszufriedenheit, affektives Gleichgewicht und psychische Belastung; in halbstrukturierten Interviews wurden die subjektiven Erfahrungen der Teilnehmenden untersucht. Eine multivariate Analyze unter Ber & uuml;cksichtigung der Ausgangswerte ergab einen signifikanten Gesamtbehandlungseffekt, F(8, 104) = 2,88, p = 0,006, partielles eta 2 = 0,18. Im Vergleich zur Kontrollgruppe berichteten die MHI-Teilnehmenden & uuml;ber ein h & ouml;heres Ma ss an Gl & uuml;ck, Lebenszufriedenheit und affektivem Gleichgewicht sowie & uuml;ber geringere psychische Belastung. Qualitative Befunde deuteten auf eine gesteigerte Gelassenheit, Dankbarkeit, emotionale Regulierung und wahrgenommene zwischenmenschliche Vorteile hin. Die Ergebnisse liefern vorl & auml;ufige Belege daf & uuml;r, dass Hypnose ein potenzielles Medium zur Vermittlung von st & auml;rkenorientierten psychologischen Inhalten im Zusammenhang mit Resilienz und Wohlbefinden sein kann. Das MHI-Programm zeigte Durchf & uuml;hrbarkeit, Akzeptanz und vorl & auml;ufige Vorteile, was weitere Untersuchungen in gr & ouml;ss eren, strenger kontrollierten Studien rechtfertigt. Intervention d'hypnoth & eacute;rapie bas & eacute;e sur la pleine conscience pour le bien-& ecirc;tre des personnes & acirc;g & eacute;es : un essai clinique randomis & eacute; utilisant des m & eacute;thodes mixtesChnanis Kongsuwan LadhaR & eacute;sum & eacute;: Cet essai contr & ocirc;l & eacute; randomis & eacute; a & eacute;valu & eacute; la faisabilit & eacute; et l'efficacit & eacute; pr & eacute;liminaire d'une intervention d'hypnoth & eacute;rapie bas & eacute;e sur la pleine conscience (MHI) int & eacute;grant des suggestions issues de la psychologie positive afin d'am & eacute;liorer le bien-& ecirc;tre des personnes & acirc;g & eacute;es. Soixante-deux personnes & acirc;g & eacute;es de 60 & agrave; 95 ans vivant & agrave; domicile ont & eacute;t & eacute; randomis & eacute;es dans l'un des trois groupes suivants : MHI, relaxation non hypnotique ou groupe t & eacute;moin sur liste d'attente. L'intervention, compos & eacute;e de quatre s & eacute;ances, combinait une induction hypnotique, des images guid & eacute;es et des suggestions ax & eacute;es sur la gratitude, la capacit & eacute; & agrave; savorer le moment pr & eacute;sent, l'autocompassion, l'acceptation, les relations positives, l'espoir et l'optimisme, suivies de suggestions post-hypnotiques destin & eacute;es & agrave; favoriser la pratique autonome. Les crit & egrave;res d'& eacute;valuation comprenaient le bonheur, la satisfaction de vie, l'& eacute;quilibre affectif et la d & eacute;tresse psychologique; des entretiens semi-structur & eacute;s ont permis d'explorer les exp & eacute;riences subjectives des participants. Une analyze multivari & eacute;e tenant compte des scores initiaux a r & eacute;v & eacute;l & eacute; un effet global significatif du traitement, F(8, 104) = 2,88, p = 0,006, eta 2 partiel = 0,18. Par rapport au groupe t & eacute;moin, les participants au groupe MHI ont fait & eacute;tat d'un niveau plus & eacute;lev & eacute; de bonheur, de satisfaction de vie et d'& eacute;quilibre affectif, ainsi que d'une d & eacute;tresse moindre. Les r & eacute;sultats qualitatifs ont mis en & eacute;vidence une augmentation du calme, de la gratitude, de la r & eacute;gulation & eacute;motionnelle et des b & eacute;n & eacute;fices interpersonnels per & ccedil;us. Ces r & eacute;sultats apportent un soutien pr & eacute;liminaire & agrave; l'hypnose en tant que moyen potentiel de transmission d'un contenu psychologique ax & eacute; sur les forces, associ & eacute; & agrave; la r & eacute;silience et au bien-& ecirc;tre. Le programme MHI a d & eacute;montr & eacute; sa faisabilit & eacute;, son acceptabilit & eacute; et ses b & eacute;n & eacute;fices pr & eacute;liminaires, ce qui justifie la poursuite des recherches dans le cadre d'essais cliniques de plus grande envergure et plus rigoureusement contr & ocirc;l & eacute;s. Intervenci & oacute;n de hipnoterapia basada en la atenci & oacute;n plena para el bienestar de las personas mayores: un ensayo cl & iacute;nico aleatorizado con m & eacute;todos mixtosChnanis Kongsuwan LadhaResumen: Este ensayo controlado aleatorizado examin & oacute; la viabilidad y la eficacia preliminar de una intervenci & oacute;n de hipnoterapia basada en la atenci & oacute;n plena (MHI) que integra sugerencias de psicolog & iacute;a positiva para mejorar el bienestar de las personas mayores. Se asign & oacute; aleatoriamente a 62 adultos de entre 60 y 95 a & ntilde;os que viv & iacute;an en la comunidad a los grupos de MHI, relajaci & oacute;n no hipn & oacute;tica o control en lista de espera. La intervenci & oacute;n, compuesta por cuatro sesiones, combinaba inducci & oacute;n hipn & oacute;tica, im & aacute;genes guiadas y sugerencias centradas en la gratitud, el disfrute, la autocompasi & oacute;n, la aceptaci & oacute;n, las relaciones positivas, la esperanza y el optimismo, seguidas de se & ntilde;ales poshipn & oacute;ticas para facilitar la pr & aacute;ctica aut & oacute;noma. Los resultados incluyeron la felicidad, la satisfacci & oacute;n con la vida, el equilibrio afectivo y el malestar psicol & oacute;gico; mediante entrevistas semiestructuradas se exploraron las experiencias subjetivas de los participantes. Un an & aacute;lisis multivariante que controlaba las puntuaciones iniciales revel & oacute; un efecto global significativo del tratamiento, F(8, 104) = 2,88, p = 0,006, eta 2 parcial = 0,18. En comparaci & oacute;n con el grupo de control, los participantes del grupo de MHI informaron de mayores niveles de felicidad, satisfacci & oacute;n con la vida y equilibrio afectivo, as & iacute; como de un menor malestar. Los resultados cualitativos indicaron un aumento de la tranquilidad, la gratitud, la regulaci & oacute;n emocional y los beneficios interpersonales percibidos. Los resultados aportan un respaldo preliminar a la hipnosis como medio potencial para transmitir contenidos psicol & oacute;gicos basados en las fortalezas y asociados a la resiliencia y el bienestar. El programa MHI demostr & oacute; su viabilidad, aceptabilidad y beneficios preliminares, lo que respalda la realizaci & oacute;n de investigaciones adicionales en ensayos m & aacute;s amplios y rigurosamente controlados.
Excessive alcohol use can impair working memory, potentially hindering treatment outcomes. Suggestion-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation (SBCR), a hypnotic technique of potential benefit for restoring working memory in brain injury patients, may hold promise for alcohol use disorder (AUD). This randomized controlled trial compared SBCR-hypnosis to mindfulness-based hypnosis among individuals in AUD treatment. Forty-one participants who were at an inpatient facility were randomized to four weekly sessions of either intervention. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included working memory, well-being, alexithymia, abstinence confidence, and therapeutic alliance. Three-month follow-ups assessed relapse, abstinence confidence, and mental health. Analyses included repeated measures ANOVA, recurrent event regression, and structural equation modeling informed by factor analysis. No significant between-group differences emerged. However, both groups showed improved well-being. Exploratory analysis identified a latent therapeutic improvement factor influenced by trait absorption. Structural equation modeling revealed that SBCR-hypnosis predicted greater therapeutic alliance improvement, which further predicted reduced relapse, enhanced abstinence confidence, and improved mental health. Although SBCR-hypnosis was not superior on clinical AUD outcomes, it may uniquely enhance therapeutic alliance, a potential mechanism worth exploring in future studies.
Chronic non-cancer pain requires multimodal management, and clinical hypnosis has been examined as a complementary intervention. This PRISMA ScR scoping review mapped the extent and characteristics of the evidence base, intervention features, and research gaps for clinical hypnosis in chronic non-cancer pain. We included 48 intervention studies involving 3,166 participants, encompassing randomized controlled trials and other study designs. Hypnosis was applied to nociceptive, neuropathic, nociplastic, and mixed pain presentations using diverse techniques and delivery formats. Outcomes most frequently included pain intensity and pain related distress, with additional measures of coping, sleep, and daily functioning. The mapped literature commonly involved small samples, frequent use of passive comparators, limited demographic reporting and diversity, and variable intervention reporting. This review extends prior syntheses by detailing how clinical hypnosis has been operationalized for chronic non-cancer pain and by identifying methodological and reporting gaps to guide future research.
Osteoarthritis and arthritis related pain can lead to functional limitation, reduced mobility, and poorer quality of life. This systematic review examined the potential role of clinical hypnosis as an adjunctive intervention for adults with osteoarthritis or arthritis related pain in routine care and perioperative settings. The review followed PRISMA 2020 and searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria, including five randomized controlled trials and three nonrandomized single group studies, with 281 participants overall. Across included studies, clinical hypnosis was associated with improvement in pain related distress, anxiety, catastrophizing, pain interference, and in some studies reduced medication use. Findings support the potential value of clinical hypnosis as an adjunctive approach for symptom management and perioperative support in osteoarthritis and arthritis related pain, while further well designed trials are needed.
Hypnosis is a unique state of consciousness marked by heightened response to suggestions, focused attention, and altered cognitive control. This article explores the neural connections involved in hypnosis through electroencephalography (EEG) studies, examining brain changes during hypnosis and their relationship to hypnotic depth and susceptibility. Theta waves, linked to hypnotic depth, are stronger in highly hypnotizable individuals, while gamma waves are associated with focus, suggestion acceptance, and emotional responses. Hypnosis also induces frequency-dependent reorganization of large-scale brain connectivity, particularly in frontal-parietal and attentional networks, enhancing subjective experiences and responsiveness. EEG patterns reveal more dynamic neural activity during hypnosis, which cannot be captured by linear metrics alone. Hemispheric analysis shows greater left-hemisphere activity in highly hypnotizable individuals, particularly in emotionally and verbally mediated tasks, challenging the right-hemisphere dominance model. Event related potential (ERP) findings show that hypnosis affects information processing at both pre-attentional and cognitive levels. These insights contribute to understanding hypnosis' impact on the brain and its potential for personalized therapeutic interventions.
