Measuring hypnotizability in psychotic patients

Abstract

The belief that psychotic individuals cannot be hypnotized or have diminished hypnotic capacity can be challenged. The empirical work that has been done thus far has focused almost exclusively on schizophrenic patients, ignoring other types of psychotic illness. Little attention has been given to a Dumber of important factors, such as accurate diagnosis, current level of functioning, age, chronicity of illness, medication, course of hospitalization, and similar variables that may he important in the determination of hypnotizability in individuals with severe psychiatric problems. In addition, only a single measure of hypnotic ability has been typically taken in assessing hypnotizability levels in psychiatric patients. Questions concerning the effect of psychiatric illness as well as of treatment on hypnotic ability are naturally raised. Finally, the question of the usefulness of hypnotic assessment in the clinic is addressed.