Hypnotic susceptibility of hospitalized psychotic patients: a pilot study.

Abstract

Abstract The purposes of the present paper were to (1) explore the extent of hypnotizability among a group of chronic psychotic patients and (2) to determine the effect of phenothiazines on hypnotic susceptibility. Only 15 of 46 patients who were asked to participate in the project completed the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form A. Nine of these 15 Ss were retested on the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C. In view of the selectivity factor, it was felt that no clear answer as to the effect of phenothiazines on hypnotizability could be given. The results of hypnotizability among this group of chronic patients are discussed and compared with a group of acute patients and the implications of these results discussed. There is evidence that a certain percentage of chronic psychotics can be hypnotized.