{"title":"Hypnosis for Chronic Pelvic Pain and Other Urogenital Pain Syndromes in Women: A Narrative Review.","authors":"Giuseppe De Benedittis","doi":"10.1080/00207144.2026.2690581","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2026.2690581","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chronic Pelvic Pain (CPP) is a complex and often debilitating condition that significantly impacts quality of life. Its diverse symptoms and intricate biological and psychological mechanisms highlight why multimodal and multidisciplinary approaches are widely recommended for CPP management. Hypnotherapy is an underutilized treatment for patients with CPP, despite widespread dissatisfaction with pharmacological options. Though research on psychological approaches has had mixed results, there's emerging evidence that hypnosis may be effective. A few case studies and controlled trials have shown its potential to not only modulate pelvic pain but also help restore a patient's overall quality of life, including hedonic functions like sexual pleasure. This review explores the available research on hypnotherapy for various urogenital pain syndromes. While preliminary findings are promising, they are limited by the lack of standardized interventions and the heterogeneity of the studies. More research is needed, specifically in the form of well-designed randomized controlled trials using validated measures for pain, sexual satisfaction, and quality of life.</p>","PeriodicalId":13896,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis","volume":" ","pages":"1-17"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148368315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Katalin Varga, Zoltan Kekecs, Eniko Kasos, Zsuzsanna Besnyő, Erzsébet Gulyás, Ilona Kovács
{"title":"Hypnotizability and Visual Imagery Inside and Outside Hypnosis: A Replication and Extension.","authors":"Katalin Varga, Zoltan Kekecs, Eniko Kasos, Zsuzsanna Besnyő, Erzsébet Gulyás, Ilona Kovács","doi":"10.1080/00207144.2025.2531573","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00207144.2025.2531573","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigates the relationship between hypnotizability inside and outside hypnosis. Hypnotizability reflects one's responsiveness to hypnotic suggestions. Imagery vividness seems to be crucial for hypnosis, but the empirical data are inconsistent. We tested 56 participants using the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ) for outside hypnosis (trait) imagery, the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI) inside hypnosis for state imagery, and the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility (HGSHS) for hypnotizability. No significant correlation was found between hypnotizability and trait imagery (<i>r</i> = 0.13). However, moderate correlation was found between hypnotizability and state imagery during hypnosis (<i>r</i> ≈ 0.45). These results suggest that while there might be no or negligible relationship between general imaginative capacity (trait imagery), and hypnotizability, the ability to engage in vivid imagery in specific contexts (state imagery) is associated with higher hypnotic susceptibility. This highlights the importance of context in imaginative abilities during hypnosis and suggests that situational engagement in imagery, rather than a stable trait, influences hypnotic responsiveness.</p>","PeriodicalId":13896,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis","volume":" ","pages":"279-297"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144992439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Brain Plasticity Induced by Motor Imagery Training: Role of Cognitive Abilities, Interoceptive Sensibility, and Hypnotizability.","authors":"Eleonora Malloggi, Enrica L Santarcangelo","doi":"10.1080/00207144.2026.2669243","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00207144.2026.2669243","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>High hypnotizability predicts greater similarity between the cortical correlates of actual and imagined action (functional equivalence, FE). The study investigated whether motor imagery (MI) training (MIT) improves subjective experience, chronometric indices, and the EEG correlates of MI (like physical training), and whether absorption, imagery abilities, and interoceptive sensibility influence the possible improvement. Participants with high, medium, and low hypnotizability participated in a session before MIT (S1) and another session after 15-day MIT (S2). Each session included baseline conditions (B), actual movements of the left arm and hand (M), visual (V), and kinesthetic imagery (K) of the same movements. EEG and ECG were monitored. After MIT, the reported effica<i>cy</i> of imagery increased, and the changes in both the aperiodic and oscillatory components of EEG indicated improved imagery in all groups. FE was observed for all groups in high beta PSD. Its similar changes that occurred after MIT during both baseline and tasks indicate neural plasticity.</p>","PeriodicalId":13896,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis","volume":" ","pages":"337-361"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148138071","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hypnotizability and Schizotypy Values of Participants at Two Annual Conferences of the Milton Erickson Society for Clinical Hypnosis, Germany (MEG).","authors":"Burkhard Peter","doi":"10.1080/00207144.2026.2669241","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00207144.2026.2669241","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>At two annual conferences of the MEG, a hypnotizability and a personality test were conducted at an interval of seven years. At the first conference there was a right-skewed distribution of hypnotizability with more high than low hypnotizable subjects and increased values in the personality style schizotypy in the high compared to the low hypnotizable subjects. At the second conference there was an approximately planar distribution of hypnotizability and there were no differences in the personality style schizotypy between the high, medium and low hypnotizable. It is discussed that external factors such as the COVID pandemic 2020-22 shortly before the second test probably did not play a role. Because the participants at these two annual meetings did not differ in their sociodemographic data, because it was the same test and the test conditions were largely similar, only guesses can be made to explain the differences between the two conferences: It is possible that the theoretical and practical understanding of hypnosis and hypnotherapy within the MEG has changed in recent years.</p>","PeriodicalId":13896,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis","volume":" ","pages":"319-336"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148251419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Structure of Indigenous Trance Language.","authors":"Walter Bongartz, Bärbel Bongartz","doi":"10.1080/00207144.2026.2657931","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00207144.2026.2657931","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The structures of trance texts used in healing rituals from five Indigenous cultures (e.g. Navajo) are compared in order to identify common factors that may be relevant to the effects of Indigenous trance languages. In contrast to modern trance languages that use continuous texts, the five Indigenous texts are completely segmented, consisting mainly of two-liners and multi-liners. Two-liners are used to construct an imaginary reality that serves as a context in which multi-liners deepen emotional physical experiences. While the Indigenous trance languages differ significantly from the languages of classical hypnosis (direct suggestions) and modern hypnotherapy (narratives, indirect suggestions), they show clear similarities to the epic and mythical texts of ancient civilizations such as those of Mesopotamia (e.g. the Epic of Gilgamesh), etc. Despite the comparability of the ancient texts with Indigenous texts, multi-liners are ten times more common in Indigenous trance texts, underscoring the importance of multi-liners for Indigenous trance languages. The mechanisms of action of two-liners and multi-liners are discussed with reference to concepts from cognitive psychology and cognitive linguistics.</p>","PeriodicalId":13896,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis","volume":" ","pages":"362-386"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148368276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hypnosis as a Tool for Theatrical Performance.","authors":"Tiago Garcia, Valdenilson Ribas","doi":"10.1080/00207144.2026.2660984","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00207144.2026.2660984","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hypnosis has been described as a tool that facilitates immersion into roles by modulating cognitive and attentional processes. This study aimed to evaluate how hypnosis can help actors create and interpret characters. Previous research has occasionally reported gender differences in hypnotic susceptibility and responses to hypnotic interventions. Although not a primary aim of this study, gender-related variations in hypnotizability were explored as secondary findings. Sixteen male and sixteen female actors performed two distinct roles, a firefighter and a fire victim, randomly assigned under hypnotic and non-hypnotic conditions. The Elkins Hypnotizability Scale (EHS) was used to measure individual hypnotizability. Participants completed post-performance questionnaires to assess perceived improvements in role absorption and character engagement. Results demonstrated that hypnosis significantly enhanced actors' immersion and their ability to authentically represent characters, independent of gender. These findings suggest that hypnosis can improve role congruence and acting performance, offering a valuable tool for theatrical training and performance enhancement.</p>","PeriodicalId":13896,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis","volume":" ","pages":"387-405"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148138084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amélie Johnson, Clara Bourgy, Marine Dupuis, Gabrielle Herbillon, Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, Pierre Rainville, Christine Watremez, Valéry Legrain
{"title":"Investigating Pain Perception During Focused Hypnotic Analgesia: Local and Remote Effects.","authors":"Amélie Johnson, Clara Bourgy, Marine Dupuis, Gabrielle Herbillon, Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, Pierre Rainville, Christine Watremez, Valéry Legrain","doi":"10.1080/00207144.2026.2667207","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2026.2667207","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hypnosis is increasingly used in clinical contexts to improve pain management and is supported by experimental research, showing reduced pain perception to controlled nociceptive stimuli. This study investigated spatial selectivity of focused hypnotic analgesia (FHA), a technique used to reduce pain in one restricted body part. Series of brief contact heat stimuli were applied randomly to the right and left arm in 40 healthy participants, before, during and after suggestion of FHA targeting one arm. Pain intensity and unpleasantness were assessed after each stimulus using numerical ratings scales. Results showed a significant decrease in pain intensity and unpleasantness for the protected arm during FHA as compared to before and after, whereas no modulation was evidenced for the unprotected arm. Ratings were significantly different between the two arms only during FHA. These results were observed regardless of the level of hypnotizability. This confirms that FHA can selectively modulate pain perception, both its sensory-discriminative and emotional-cognitive components, and restrict its effects on a targeted area without affecting perception on other body parts.</p>","PeriodicalId":13896,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis","volume":" ","pages":"1-24"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148042206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Georges Haidamous, Mark P Jensen, Lynne A Couchara, Kaitlyn N Christmas, Peter Simon, Mark Frankle
{"title":"Effects of Hypnosis Therapy on Pain and Opioid Use Following Shoulder Replacement Surgery: A Clinical Trial.","authors":"Georges Haidamous, Mark P Jensen, Lynne A Couchara, Kaitlyn N Christmas, Peter Simon, Mark Frankle","doi":"10.1080/00207144.2026.2654387","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00207144.2026.2654387","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic hypnosis as an alternative to or adjunct treatment with opioid medications for post-operative pain management following shoulder replacement surgery. A prior pilot study assessed the feasibility of a clinical trial by comparing standard care and hypnosis therapy groups, finding moderate reductions in pain and opioid consumption in the therapeutic hypnosis group. The design of the current trial was informed by findings from the pilot study. Participants in the therapeutic hypnosis group were given access to a video with therapeutic hypnosis narration, while the control group viewed the video without narration. Pain intensity (primary outcome) was assessed at baseline, at the preoperative visit, as well as 10 and 49 days post-surgery. Secondary outcomes included anxiety, pain medication use, and sleep disruption. Despite initial positive results from the pilot, the current trial revealed no significant differences between the treatment groups across all measures. Further research should consider alternative control conditions and examine outcomes in the immediate post-surgical period to better capture potential effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":13896,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis","volume":" ","pages":"147-159"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147689952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Martaria Rizky Rinaldi, Gilles van Luijtelaar, Nida Ul Hasanat, Kwartarini Wahyu Yuniarti
{"title":"Clinical Hypnosis for Chronic Illnesses: A Scoping Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.","authors":"Martaria Rizky Rinaldi, Gilles van Luijtelaar, Nida Ul Hasanat, Kwartarini Wahyu Yuniarti","doi":"10.1080/00207144.2025.2528232","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00207144.2025.2528232","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chronic illnesses require a multifaceted treatment approach, and clinical hypnosis has shown promise as a complementary intervention. This scoping review maps the evidence on clinical hypnosis for chronic illness management, focusing on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines and scoping review framework by Arksey and O'Malley's (2005), a systematic search in PubMed and Scopus identified 16 RCTs involving adults with conditions such as fibromyalgia, cancer, obesity, and heart disease. Studies were conducted primarily in Europe and the USA, with sample sizes ranging from 20 to 169, predominantly among middle-aged adults. Hypnosis interventions varied, including relaxation induction, positive imagery, and self-hypnosis, often combined with therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Positive outcomes were found in pain reduction, emotional distress, quality of life, sleep, and fatigue, particularly among patients with fibromyalgia and cancer. This review underscores the potential of clinical hypnosis to reducing pain and enhancing well-being. However, the methodological heterogeneity across studies highlights the need for more rigorous research to optimize hypnosis-based interventions for chronic conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":13896,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis","volume":" ","pages":"160-189"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144707418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Role of Medical Hypnosis in Alleviating Procedural Anxiety in Pediatric Interventional Radiology: A Pilot Study.","authors":"Naomie Condé, Vicky Fortin, Tatiana Cabrera","doi":"10.1080/00207144.2025.2528240","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00207144.2025.2528240","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pediatric interventional radiology procedures often use general anesthesia to manage pain and anxiety, but general anesthesia carries risks. Medical hypnosis, a noninvasive technique, has shown potential, though its application in pediatric interventional radiology is underexplored. This pilot study compared medical hypnosis and general anesthesia in pediatric interventional radiology, focusing on pre- and post-procedural anxiety and overall patient experience. The mean age of the medical hypnosis group was higher than the general anesthesia group. Post-procedural anxiety was significantly lower in the medical hypnosis group compared to the general anesthesia group (<i>p</i> = .003). Additionally, the overall patient experience was rated higher for medical hypnosis (<i>p</i> = .037). Medical hypnosis offers a viable, noninvasive approach to reducing procedural anxiety and enhancing the patient experience in pediatric interventional radiology. Larger-scale studies are needed to validate these findings and optimize medical hypnosis implementation.</p>","PeriodicalId":13896,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis","volume":" ","pages":"190-195"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144682603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}