Has the Sun Set on the Stanford Scales?

Abstract

There have been recent expressions of concern regarding the adequacy of the Stanford Scales of Hypnotic Susceptibility. Concern about the Scales' utility involve the fact that they do not explicitly assess the experience of nonvolition that is classically associated with the concept of suggestion. Concern about the Scales' validity suggest that the individual differences they assess are not clinically relevant. A review of the available literature shows that neither of these concerns stands up to inspection, and that the Stanford Scales have a crucial role to play in both laboratory and clinical contexts.