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Although strong evidence exists for using individual hypnosis to treat pain, evidence regarding group applications is limited. This project evaluated changes in multiple outcome measures in persons with chronic pain treated with 8 weeks of group hypnosis. Eighty-five adults with diverse chronic pain etiologies completed an 8-session, structured group hypnosis treatment. Pain intensity, pain interference, and global health were evaluated at baseline, posttreatment, and 3- and 6-months posttreatment. Linear mixed effects models assessed changes in outcomes over time. In a model testing, all three outcome measures simultaneously, participants improved substantially from pre- to posttreatment and maintained improvement across follow-up. Analyses of individual outcomes showed significant pre- to posttreatment reductions in pain intensity and interference, which were maintained for pain intensity and continued to improve for pain interference across follow-up. The findings provide compelling preliminary evidence that a group format is an effective delivery system for teaching individual skills in using hypnosis for chronic pain management. Larger randomized controlled trials are warranted to demonstrate equivalence of outcomes between treatment modes.

Beyond hypnotizability, there may be different styles of experiencing hypnosis relevant to both basic research and clinical practice. Previous research has demonstrated the presence of inward attentive and dissociative subtypes among more highly hypnotizable individuals during a group protocol. With a sample of undergraduate students, we successfully replicated the presence of these 2 subtypes among those who were relatively more hypnotizable. Inward attentive and dissociative subtypes did not differ in their overall experience of the depth of the relationship with the hypnotist, though the dissociative subjects reported elevated everyday dissociative experiences. We then explored features of each subtype, noting possible altered memory experience in the dissociative style and reduced experience of rationality in both the inward attentive and dissociative styles. We discuss the scientific and clinical implications of this line of research.

Dysphagia, the perceived impediment to swallowing food, is a common postsurgical symptom that can have debilitating consequences. This study presents the successful treatment of severe esophageal dysphagia with a problem-focused and patient-centered approach to hypnosis, informed by long-term empirical follow-up. The authors describe a case history involving significant and persistent difficulty swallowing for which no medical or surgical treatment could be found. Over the course of 10 sessions, the patient was assessed, treated with imaginal exposure, and instructed in self-hypnosis. Outcomes were measured at treatment conclusion, and 6-, 9-, and 18-month follow-ups. Following hypnosis, the patient exhibited significant and reliable change (RC) in visceral hypersensitivity (RC = -3.16