Efficacy of Hypnotherapy as a supplement therapy in Cancer Intervention
Dr Rumi Peynovska, Dr Jackie Fisher, Dr David Oliver, Prof V.M. Mathew

Abstract: Aim of the Study - To study the benefits of Hypnotherapy, as a supplement therapy in the management of terminally ill patients. Method - All the patients who took part in the trial were day hospice patients of Ann Delhom Centre, Wisdom Hospice,
Rochester, UK. Patients were offered three hypnotherapy sessions and were assessed before the first session and after the third one together with a follow up after 3/4 months after the last session. Particular attention was paid to: management of anxiety, depression, anger, frustration, management of pain, fatigue, insomnia, management of side-effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, visualization to promote health improvement. All hypnotherapy sessions were individually tailored to cover the specific individual needs. Results - At the end of the study data was analyzed to evaluate the effect of Hypnotherapy on the individual quality of life, life expectancy, cost savings to the hospital in terms of reduced medication and need for medical care.
Keywords: hypnosis, hypnotherapy, cancer

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Preoperative hypnosis. A controlled study to assess the effects on anxiety and pain in the postoperative period.
By Maurizio Massarini, Francesco Rovetto, Claudio Tagliaferri

Abstract: Our study was designed to establish whether a single sitting of hypnosis during the preoperative period would reduce postoperative anxiety levels (both state and trait anxiety) and to reduce the perception of postoperative pain (both its sensory and affective components). Forty-two patients from the Surgery and Orthopaedics wards, who were to undergo surgery, were randomly assigned either to an experimental group (where preoperative hypnotic treatment was carried out during the twenty-four hours preceding the operation) or to a control group (with no particular preoperative treatment). During the weeks leading up to the
operation, the patients were asked to fill in questionnaires (STAI-X and QD) to assess anxiety levels (state and trait) and problems of a depressive nature; certain physiological parameters were also measured. During the days following the operation the questionnaires were repeated to assess postoperative anxiety and depression values; postoperative physiological indices were measured and pain perception (sensory and affective components) was assessed using the NRS every day for four days after the operation. The patients from the experimental group showed lower levels of anxiety (both state and trait) and lower pain perception in the first two days after the operation (both in the sensory and affective components) compared to the patients from the control group. No difference emerged for the other variables examined (depressive problems, physiological parameters). This controlled study showed that brief hypnotic treatment carried out in the preoperative period leads to good results with surgery patients in terms of reducing anxiety levels and pain perception. Key words: preoperative hypnosis; anxiety; pain; depressive problems; physiological indices; postoperative period.


Trial design in hypnotherapy – Does the RCT have a place?
Lesley M Roberts, PhD

A Commentary
Sue Wilson, PhD, HonMFPH

Abstract: Like many complementary or alternative therapies, hypnotherapy has been criticised by some for not having robust scientific evidence to back its claims. Studies aiming to determine the effectiveness of hypnotherapy are typically poorly designed or lack the patient numbers to achieve statistical power. Whilst it is acknowledged that more research is needed across a range of disease areas, few funding bodies are aware of the complexities of designing research which addresses the needs of both service providers, therapists and patients. The application of traditional clinical trial methods to hypnotherapy is not easy due to the differences in the underlying mechanism of therapy, however reliance on less rigorous methodologies does not address the need for high-grade evidence. This paper discusses some of the methodological issues which require consideration when undertaking research in hypnotherapy and concludes with a call for more well designed studies led by multi-disciplinary teams using multiple methods. Keywords: research, trial design, trial methods, methodologies, hypnosis evidence, scientific evidence.

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