Pilot Study of Hypnotic Relaxation Therapy for Well-Being (HRT-WB): A New Intervention to Enhance Well-Being and Positive Affect.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effect of a novel hypnotherapeutic intervention, informed by positive psychology, to enhance well-being in college students. The present study investigated adapting hypnotic relaxation therapy for enhancing well-being (denoted as HRT-WB). Twenty-seven college students were enrolled in a 5-week intervention of HRT-WB and instructed in daily home practice of HRT-WB self-hypnosis using audio recordings. Participants completed baseline and endpoint measures of well-being and symptoms of psychological distress. Results showed participants who received the HRT-WB intervention experienced improvements in subjective well-being as well as reductions in psychological distress. At endpoint, 71% of the participants who completed the HRT-WB intervention were categorized as experiencing high levels of well-being, or flourishing. In addition, HRT-WB is a feasible intervention, with high rates of retention, compliance with home practice, and satisfaction. Based on these promising results, further research into HRT-WB is warranted. HRT-WB could be a well-accepted, easily administered, and effective means of addressing well-being and enhancing flourishing.

Test-Retest Reliability of the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C and the Elkins Hypnotizability Scale.

This project aimed to assess the consistency of hypnotizability over repeated assessments when measured by the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale: Form C (SHSS:C), and the Elkins Hypnotizability Scale (EHS) and to contrast score distribution and pleasantness of these scales. University students were administered either the SHSS:C or the EHS twice with a one-week delay by separate experimenters. Test-retest reliability of the EHS and the SHSS:C was r s =.82 (.71-.92) and r s =.66, 95% (.47-.86), respectively (Spearman's correlation). Hypnotizability was comparable at test and retest in the EHS group, SHSS:C scores decreased by the retest. We found that the SHSS:C produced higher scores than the EHS, and the pleasantness of the 2 scales was comparable. Overall, our results supported the reliability of the EHS, while SHSS:C scores were more inconsistent between the 2 assessments. More research is warranted.

FLOW AND HYPNOTIZABILITY IN A COLLEGE STUDENT POPULATION.

The concept of "flow" refers to a state of heightened attention and concentration in a current task. Benefits of entering a flow state may include the ability to optimize performance by reducing conscious cognitive processing. Various theories have suggested that flow is a state of consciousness similar to that of hypnosis. The present study addresses the relationship between flow and hypnotizability. In a college sample, a significant correlation was found between flow experience and hypnotizability, suggesting that those high in hypnotizability are more likely to experience flow states during hypnosis. In addition, results suggest that hypnosis may be used to develop higher frequency of flow states, especially in those with low dispositional flow.

Hypnosis for Hot Flashes and Associated Symptomsin Women with Breast Cancer.

Women with breast cancer experience a host of physical and psychological symptoms, including hot flashes, sleep difficulties, anxiety, and depression. Therefore, treatment for women with breast cancer should target these symptoms and be individualized to patients' specific presentations. The current article reviews the common symptoms associated with breast cancer in women, then examines clinical hypnosis as a treatment for addressing these symptoms and improving the quality of life of women with breast cancer. Clinical hypnosis is an effective, nonpharmaceutical treatment for hot flashes and addressing many symptoms typically experienced by breast cancer patients. A case example is provided to illustrate the use of clinical hypnosis for the treatment of hot flashes with a patient with breast cancer.

Validity of depression rating scales during pregnancy and the postpartum period: impact of trimester and parity.

The objective of the current study was to delineate the optimal cutpoints for depression rating scales during pregnancy and the postpartum period and to assess the perinatal factors influencing these scores. Women participating in prospective investigations of maternal mental illness were enrolled prior to 28 weeks gestation and followed through 6 months postpartum. At each visit, subjects completed self-rated depression scales--Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and clinician-rated scales--Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD(17) and HRSD(21)). These scores were compared to the SCID Mood Module for the presence of fulfilling diagnostic criteria for a major depressive episode (MDE) during 6 perinatal windows: preconception; first trimester; 2nd trimester; 3rd trimester; early postpartum; and later postpartum. Optimal cutpoints were determined by maximizing the sum of each scale's sensitivity and specificity. Stratified ROC analyses determined the impact of previous pregnancy and comparison of initial to follow-up visits. A total of 534 women encompassing 640 pregnancies and 4025 follow-up visits were included. ROC analysis demonstrated that all 4 scales were highly predictive of MDE. The AUCs ranged from 0.857 to 0.971 and were all highly significant (p < .0001). Optimal cutpoints were higher at initial visits and for multigravidas and demonstrated more variability for the self-rated scales. These data indicate that both clinician-rated and self-rated scales can be effective tools in identifying perinatal episodes of major depression. However, the results also suggest that prior childbirth experiences and the use of scales longitudinally across the perinatal period influence optimal cutpoints.