EEG-Based Analysis of Emotional Effects of Hypnotic Guided Imagery (HGI) on Employees with Burnout: A Feasibility Study.

Abstract

Unregulated negative emotion increases the risk of burnout by 67%, which can impair performance and cause physical symptoms. Hypnotic guided imagery (HGI) is a deep relaxation-based intervention designed to shift negative to positive emotion. However, the physiological basis of emotional changes remains unclear. This feasibility study examined the acceptability and effects of HGI on emotional valence and arousal in employees with burnout using electroencephalography (EEG). Valence was indexed by frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA), calculated as ln[rel(F4)] - ln[rel(F3)] and arousal by the frontal beta/alpha Ratio. Participants were randomly assigned to an HGI group (n = 19) or control group (n = 13). EEG analyses revealed no significant changes in MANOVA analysis (p = .425), whereas the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule Extended (PANAS-X) results indicated increased positive affect and reduced negative affect in the HGI group. These discrepancies may result from small samples, FAA protocol, and variability in burnout severity. Overall, the study underscores the importance of methodological rigor in EEG-based psychological intervention studies and provides a foundation for advancing HGI evaluation.