The status of research and training in hypnosis at APA accredited clinical/counseling psychology internship sites: a national survey.

Abstract

Abstract Although numerous psychologists reported gaining hypnosis skills during their internship experience, few investigations have assessed the characteristics of this training. The present survey of 123 APA accredited clinical/counseling internship sites was conducted in an attempt to describe the training currently available. Other variables investigated were hypnosis research at the sites and training directors' attitudes toward hypnosis. Results indicate that hypnosis training is growing and becoming more formalized; hypnosis research has experienced growth; and attitudes toward hypnosis continue to remain positive. Summary This study has attempted to describe the characteristics of hypnosis training available and research undertaken at APA accredited clinical/ counseling internship sites. There are two major limitations to this research project. First, 39% of the population under study did not respond to either the initial or follow-up mailings. Thus, the comparison between the present results and the results of Parrishs (1975) study (with a 99% response rate) needs to be considered with caution. Second, as with all self-report measures, the respondents to the questionnaire made subjective and criterion-free responses. Thus, there was no method to judge the accuracy of their responses. With the above caveats in mind, the major finding of the present study is that there has been an increase in the percentage of internship sites that offer hypnosis training since Parrish (1975) investigated the training available in 1973 and found only 28 (27%) sites offered formal hypnosis training. There has also been a substantial increase in the number of programs reporting staff who have been trained in hypnosis. Parrish (1975) reported 48% of the sites had trained staff and the present survey found 82% of the sites reported at least one stafF member trained in the use of hypnosis. Another interesting comparison between Parrish's results and the results of the current study is that Parrish found 57% of the sites offered hypnosis training either formally or informally while the present study found that 55% of the programs offer training on a formal basis. Also, Parrish reported 57% of the sites had offered hypnosis training for 5 years or less, while 55% of the present respondents indicated that hypnosis training had been available for 5 or more years. More internships reported conducting hypnosis research than did sites in the Parrish study, and more research projects were reported (86) than in Parrishs study (17). One similarity between the two studies is that both reported favorable attitudes towards hypnosis and hypnosis training. From the results of the present study and the comparisons with Parrish's (1975) data, the following conclusions can be stated: 1. More internship sites offer hypnosis training in 1981 than did so in 1973. The extent of the increase is difficult to estimate due to the 39% non-response rate in the present study. If all non-respondents were assumed to exclude hypnosis, equalizing the response rates between this study and Parrish's (1975) work, however, there would be a 7% increase in the percentage of sites offering hypnosis training. 2. Hypnosis training is becoming a more formalized aspect of the training of the majority of clinical/counseling psychology interns. 3. Interns are being trained to use hypnosis primarily with less pathological client problems. There is almost no encouragement to use hypnosis as a treatment for psychosis or character disorders. 4. There has been an increase in the number of hypnosis research projects being conducted at internship sites. 5. Attitudes towards hypnosis and hypnosis training continue to remain positive. In an attempt to explain the increases found in the present study, three primary factors are proposed. First, the respectability of hypnosis as a viable therapeutic alternative continues to grow. The authors of the present paper agree with Parrishs (1975) conclusion that hypnosis gained increasing acceptance on the “coat-tails” of behavior therapy. It is hypothesized, however, that clinicians from a variety of therapeutic orientations consider hypnosis interventions as viable and appropriate. Second, there has been an increase in the number of professionals trained in hypnosis since Parrish's (1975) survey. Kraft and Rodolfa (1982) reported that 47% of practicing psychologists have received some form of hypnosis training and 35% have utilized hypnosis in their practice of psychology. Another factor that may help explain the increases is that the numerous professional organizations (Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, and American Psychological Association's Division 30: Psychological Hypnosis) promote high standards of training in, use of, and research into hypnosis (Parrish, 1975). Topics for further study include: (a) a comparison between the amount and type of hypnosis research being conducted and other areas of psychological research occurring at internship sites; (b) research into the relationship between therapeutic orientations and hypnosis use can substantiate or invalidate the hypothesis proposed above; and (c) how much hypnosis training and what type of hypnosis training is desirable and appropriate for the practicing clinician?