PSYCHOLOGICAL MINDEDNESS, ATTITUDES TOWARD HYPNOSIS, AND EXPECTANCY AS CORRELATES OF HYPNOTIZABILITY.

This study aimed to understand how psychological mindedness, attitudes toward hypnosis, and expectancy of hypnotizability are related to hypnotizability. Ninety-one undergraduate students were given measures pertaining to attitudes toward hypnosis, psychological mindedness, and self-ratings of expectancy of hypnotizability. The subjects were then administered the Elkins Hypnotizability Scale (EHS). Results demonstrated a significant correlation between participant scores on the EHS and the Attitudes Toward Hypnosis Scale (r = .401, p < .01) and self-ratings of expectancy of hypnotizability (r = .391, p < .01). The results of this study did not reveal any statistically significant correlations between psychological mindedness and hypnotizability (r = .113, p > .29) or expectancy of hypnotizability (r = .175, p > .10). Additional research is needed to fully understand the relationship between psychological mindedness and hypnotizability.

Hypnotic relaxation therapy for treatment of hot flashes following prostate cancer surgery: a case study.

This case study reports on a 69-year-old African American male who presented with hot flashes following a diagnosis of prostate cancer and subsequent prostatectomy. Measures include both self-reported and physiologically measured hot flash frequency and sleep quality. The intervention involved 7 weekly sessions of hypnotic relaxation therapy directed toward alleviation of hot flashes. Posttreatment self-reported hot flashes decreased 94%; physiologically measured hot flashes decreased 100%; and sleep quality improved 87.5%. At week 12, both self-reported and physiologically measured hot flashes decreased 95% and sleep quality improved 37.5% over baseline, suggesting hypnotic relaxation therapy may be an effective intervention for men with hot flashes following treatment for prostate cancer.

Initial development of a brief measure of psychological distress.

This paper addresses the preliminary development, construct validity, and psychometric properties of a brief self-report measure of psychological distress. 40 items were originally generated by doctoral level psychologists for use in the preliminary clinical sample. Inpatients from a psychiatric unit (N = 125) completed the items, and a principal-components analysis with a direct oblimin rotation was used to evaluate construct validity. The study indicated a four-factor solution, using the constructs of Depression, Hopelessness, Anxiety, and Anger, with good estimates of reliability. After evaluation of factor structure, item analyses, and reliability estimates, a redacted 19-item scale was identified.

Hypnotherapy intervention for loin pain hematuria: a case study.

Loin pain hematuria is characterized by chronic loin pain, hematuria, and dysuria. There are no known effective treatments for loin pain hematuria and longer term use of analgesics and surgical options are often ineffective or associated with negative side effects. This article reports on a 17-year-old female patient diagnosed with loin pain hematuria who presented with unilateral, uncontrolled loin pain following numerous unsuccessful attempts at controlling her symptoms with traditional medical interventions, including antibiotics, opioids, and renal denervation. The patient received 8 sessions of hypnotherapy. Baseline, endpoint, and follow-up measures administered included the General Health Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, McGill Pain Questionnaire, Pain Discomfort Scale, and visual analogue measures of pain, academic interference, and social interference. At follow-up, results indicated clinically significant decreases in pain, anxiety, and depression with nearly complete remission of presenting symptoms.