The purpose of this project was to examine the effect of hypnosis as a treatment in the control of pain in a population of rheumatoid arthritic patients and further to examine any associated change in emotionality. Three groups of patients suffering from the pain of rheumatoid arthritis were selected. One group served as a control group. The other two groups served as a modified control group and as a treatment group, respectively. All three groups were pre, mid, and post-tested using the McGill Pah Questionnaire, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, the California Personality Inventory Well-Being scale items, and a check of their medication intake. The testing periods were before any treatment procedures were introduced, after a 6 week therapy involvement period for the modified control group and treatment group, and after another 6 week period with no further interaction of the patients with the therapists. The treatment group received hypnosis instruction for the treatment of pain, the modified control group received a ventilation or talk therapy, and the control group was not seen by any therapist. It was fond that self-hypnosis offers a viable and practical treatment technique to individuals in the control of their pain. individuals were not only able to reduce their perception of pain and its effect on their lives, but they were also able to be the ones in control of the process. Both the treatment group and the modified control group were able to achieve positive change in several emotional factors. The treatment group was able to achieve a more significant change and one that persisted after the therapy sessions were terminated. The members of the treatment group were thus able to increase their emotional functioning and decrease their dependency on medications. The treatment group was the only group able to decrease medication intake significantly thus gain indicating the importance of learning self-help procedure for controlling pain. It would seem from the results of this study that using self-hypnosis for pain control is useful and practical.

In this study an ecosystemic approach to self-hypnosis was utilised as a tool to explore and describe the healing of sport injuries. Four injured Subjects, from four different sporting activities participated in the study. Self-hypnosis/hypnosis was used as a linguistic means to perturb the problem-defining ideas within which the sport injury was embedded. Problem dis-solution involved a process of reframing each Subject's current reality through dialogue, and a new reality for each respective Subject was co-constructed through consequent linguistic differentiation. The hypnotist, participating in the linguistic domain as an equal participant, looked for intended meanings in each respective conversational exchange with the athletes, and synthesised information creatively. This process and the thinking behind each case study is described in detail in this dissertation. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

In this study an ecosystemic approach to self-hypnosis was utilised as a tool to explore and describe the healing of sport injuries. Four injured Subjects, from four different sporting activities participated in the study. Self-hypnosis/hypnosis was used as a linguistic means to perturb the problem-defining ideas within which the sport injury was embedded. Problem dis-solution involved a process of reframing each Subject's current reality through dialogue, and a new reality for each respective Subject was co-constructed through consequent linguistic differentiation. The hypnotist, participating in the linguistic domain as an equal participant, looked for intended meanings in each respective conversational exchange with the athletes, and synthesised information creatively. This process and the thinking behind each case study is described in detail in this dissertation. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are ligand-gated cation channels that most notably influence dopamine (DA) release. In this thesis, I examine the role of nAChRs in mediating DA-related behaviors such as movement and drug dependence. To accomplish this, I utilized a “gain-offunction” knock-in mouse (the Leu9’Ala line) containing agonist-hypersensitive α4* nAChRs (* indicates other nAChR subunits in addition to α4 are within the receptor complex) that renders receptors 50-fold more sensitive to nicotine and acetylcholine than wild-type (WT) receptors. I found that DHβE, a selective antagonist for α4β2* nAChRs, induced reversible and robust motor dysfunction characterized by hypolocomotion, akinesia, catalepsy, tremor, and clasping in Leu9’Ala but not WT mice. Reversal of the phenotype was achieved by targeting dopamine signaling. Blockade of mutant α4* nAChRs elicited activation of brain regions in the basal ganglia including dorsal striatum and substantia nigra pars reticulata indicated by c-Fos immunoreactivity. These data indicate that blocking α4* nAChRs in Leu9’Ala mice activates the indirect motor pathway resulting in a motor deficit. We also determined that α4* nAChRs involved in motor behaviors did not contain the α6 subunit, a nAChR subunit highly expressed in DAergic neurons suggesting that different nAChR subtypes modulating striatal DA release have separate functions in motor output. Conditioned place aversion and hypolocomotion, behaviors elicited during nicotine withdrawal, were also induced by DHβE in nicotine-naïve Leu9’Ala but not WT mice. Together these data suggest that DHβE globally reduces DA release in the CNS. In a separate project, I determined that α4* and α6* nAChRs modulate drug-induced hypnosis. Activation of nAChRs increased sensitivity to ketamine-induced hypnosis; whereas antagonizing nAChRs had the opposite effect. Additionally, α4 knockout (KO) mice were less sensitive to the hypnotic effects of ketamine, but α6 KO were more sensitive. High doses of ethanol induce an anesthesia-like state characterized by immobility, analgesia, and hypnosis. Testing the effects of ethanol hypnosis in α4 KO revealed that α4* nAChR do not play a large role in the acute effects of ethanol-induced hypnosis, but are involved in tolerance to this ethanol-induced behavior. The mechanisms of anesthetic-induced hypnosis are still largely unclear, despite the wide use of anesthesia. Future work on these receptors and their involvement in the anesthetic response will help to define a mechanism for hypnosis and improve the use of anesthetic drugs.

Although clinical hypnosis has been studied in a variety of ways, most of the research has focused on individual and evidence-based approaches; few have examined relational or systemic models. Influenced by Milton Erickson’s hypnosis methods and Gregory Bateson’s systemic concepts, relational hypnotherapists value the importance of both the intra- and interpersonal context in the treatment of problems, accentuating the significance of the mind and body connection (or relationship) in inviting non-volitional therapeutic change. The author of this research explored how Douglas Flemons, the developer of relational hypnosis, facilitated an enduring non-volitional shift with a client, “Grace,” who desired to have a baby but could not see or talk about blood, needles, or medical procedures without fainting. Using context-enriched conversation analysis (CECA), the author embraced his theoretical understanding of relational hypnosis as a guide to examine multiple sources of data, which included selected audio-recorded excerpts from Douglas and Grace’s hypnotherapeutic sessions; Grace’s descriptions of change in her email correspondence with Douglas; and Douglas’s case notes. Although there were a total of eight sessions, the author’s analysis revealed that the most influential and significant moments occurred during the first two sessions. Douglas’s initial interventions, or as he would say, intraventions, laid the foundation for a shift in Grace’s identity, which helped her embrace a variety of resourceful skills and attributes to overcome her problem. The author also discussed the clinical and research implications for relational hypnosis, brief and family therapy, and psychotherapy in general.

No description available.

This dissertation presents a constructivist discussion of the experiences of the author in doing hypnosis. It explores the practice of hypnosis as a progression of behavioral changes by the hypnotis in facilitating the initiation, expansion and coherence of the hypnotic domain. These changes include punctuating and redefining everyday experiences and environmental events as hypnotic, and engaging participants in discussions based on the hypnotic logic. Hypnosis is defined as social and cognitive domain that is specified in language, and maintained by the embodied descriptions of participants. It is described how the hypnotic system evolves in terms of complexity, distinctness and functional integrity, and how this reflects the structurally determined fit between its members. In this system the hypnotist facilitates the development of the hypnotic description as a viable domain of existence that is experienced as real and all-inclusive. In conclusion some constructivist ideas for research, treatment and training are presented before constructivist thinking is used to contextualize the dissertation itself. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the effect of a prenatal hypnotherapeutic programme on the maintenance and promotion of postpartum psychological well-being of a group of first-time mother. Relevant literature on pregnancy, early motherhood and psychological well-being were explained in order to abstract important facets and perspectives to use as a background for the development and implementation of an intervention programme for the facilitation of psychological well-being of first-time mothers. Theoretical perspectives on, and practical applications of, clinical hypnosis were further analysed and used as foundation for the development of the hypnotherapeutic intervention. A hypnotherapeutic programme was developed, based on existing theoretical knowledge regarding pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood, as well as clinical hypnosis, with specific emphasis on Ericksonian principles and ego state therapy techniques, enriched from the perspective of psychofortology. The empirical study consisted of a quantitative component and a qualitative component. In the quantitative component, a pretest-posttest-follow-up comparative design was implemented, with random assignment of participants to the experimental and control groups within the limits of practicalities. Both groups, each consisting of 23 women in their first pregnancy, completed the following questionnaires: (i) Perception of Labour and Delivery Scale (PLD), adapted from Padawer et al. (1988). Feelings about the baby and relationship with the baby (FRB), adapted from Wwllett and Parr (1997), Maternal Self- Confidence Scale (MSC), adapted from Ruble et al. (1990) and Maternal Self-Efficacy Scale (MSE) (Teti & Gelfand, 1991), to explore aspects of psychological well-being related to early motherhood; (ii) The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) ofCox et al. (1987) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) (Goldberg & Hillier, 1979), to investigate aspects of psychological well-being as evident by the absence of pathology; and (iii) the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) (Diener et al., 1985), the Affectometer 2 (AFM) (Kammann & Flett, 1983), the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC) of Antonovsky (1979) and the Generalised Self-efficacy Scale (GSE), developed by Schwarrer, (1993), to measure general psychological well-being. The Stanford Hypnotic Clinical Scale (SHCS) (Morgan & Hilgard, 1978) was used for the experimental group to assess hypnotisabili. The qualitative component consisted of in-depth interviews and an analysis of written responses of mothers in the experimental group. They commented on their experience of the programme and its impact at two weeks and ten weeks postpartum. Results from the empirical study indicated that the experimental group showed significantly more symptoms of depression and symptomatology during the prenatal evaluation than the control group. Since the experimental group was possibly more vulnerable than the control group in a psychological sense, the effect of the intervention programme could not be deduced from a pure comparison of postnatal evaluation scores between the groups. Therefore, it was decided to explore the significance of differences within each of the experimental and control groups, as well as between the experimental and control group, using the mean difference scores between prenatal and postnatal evaluation on each variable. Results indicate that the hypnotherapeutic programme was effective in enhancing most aspects of psychological well-being within the experimental group. This strengthened sense of psychological well-being was evident both in the immediate postpartum period and at ten weeks postpartum. The control group showed a spontaneous increase in psychological well-being later in the postpartum period. The programme thus assisted mothers in the more vulnerable experimental group to experience a stronger sense of psychological well-being sooner after the baby's birth. The experimental and control groups were further compared on the mean differences in prenatal versus postnatal scores on measures of psychological well-being. The results suggest that the hypnotherapeutic intervention contributed to an enhanced sense of psychological well-being in mothers in the experimental group, in comparison to the control group, during the early postpartum period, as measured by variables related to motherhood, absence of pathology and general psychological well-being. At ten weeks postpartum, the differences between the experimental and control group were less obvious. However, a very important finding was that mothers in the experimental group continued to show a significant improvement in psychological well-being as indicated by the absence of pathology. Specifically, there was a continued decrease in depression and general symptoms of pathology. Findings from the quantitative study were supported by remarks by mothers in postpartum and follow-up interviews, as well as their written responses, as part of a qualitative exploration of their experience of the programme and its impact on them. The findings give compelling evidence that a hypnotherapeutic intervention, focusing on the enhancement of strengths and inner resources, could alleviate depression and psychological distress during the perinatal period, as well as prevent the exacerbation of symptoms. Findings from the current study indicate that the developed prenatal hypnotherapeutic programme was effective in enhancing the psychological well-being of mothers experiencing a first pregnancy. Recommendations for clinical practice and further research were made, based on the current research findings. The contribution of the current study lies in the fact that it is the first to explore pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood from a salutogenidfortigenic perspective, and to utilise hypnosis to facilitate psychological well-being in this context. It contributed to scientific knowledge in the fields of developmental psychology, psychofortology and clinical hypnosis. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2003.

La question de l'essence de la sexualité féminine est l'une de celles qui firent d'emblée le plus débat au sein de la communauté psychanalytique, allant parfois jusqu'à être escamotée (le "continent noir" de Sigmund Freud). Toutefois, on sait que Freud a laissé échapper des bribes d'une théorisation alternative: on y rencontre une femme dotée d'un orifice vaginal, et dont le but sexuel passif est d'être pénétrée. D'où provient cette appétence à accueillir passivement l'autre en soi ? La pénétration génitale dans sa valence passive constitue le but pulsionnel ultime du développement psychosexuel féminin, celui qui permet la reproduction. Toutefois, il semble probable qu'une représentation psychique de celle-ci n'est pas le produit d'une génération spontanée à la puberté (comme l'a parfois suggéré Freud), mais qu'elle plonge ses racines dans les temps prégénitaux: elle ne peut manquer de s'appuyer sur la réalité du corps de la fille comme du garçon, porteur d'une dimension contenante-excitable. C'est pourquoi il nous semble possible d'isoler une composante pulsionnelle spécifique, qui vise le but passif d'être pénétré: une composante pulsionnelle vaginale. Les phénomènes d'influence apparaissent paradigmatiques de la figuration psychique de la pénétration. Nous avons choisi d'en considérer deux modalités: le délire d'influence constitue une résolution, dans le champ psychotique, de l'ambivalence à l'égard du désir vaginal; sous hypnose, la modification de l'état de conscience favorise l 'appétence à s'abandonner aux suggestions de 1'hypnotiseur, en neutralisant, par divers procédés, les résistances du sujet qui relèvent d'un refus du vaginal. / Female sexuality is one of the issues which made at once most debate within psychoanalytical community (the "Black continent", Sigmund Freud said). However, we know that Freud, in some texts, let out fragments of an alternative theory: it offers a woman endowed with a vaginal aperture, and whose passive sexual aim is to be penetrated. Where does this desire to receive passively the other into oneself come from? Genital penetration in its passive form is the ultimate instinctual aim of female psycho-sexual development, the one who enables reproduction. However, it seems likely that a psychic representation of it is not the product of a spontaneous generation during the puberty (as Freud sometimes suggested), but that roots in pre-genital period: it relies without fail on the reality of girl or boy's body, which carries a containing-excitable feature. Accordingly, it seems possible to isolate a specific instinctual component, which aims at the passive purpose to be penetrated: a vaginal instinctual component. Influence's phenomena seem paradigmatic of a psychic figuration of penetration. We chose to consider two modalities of it: delusion of control is a resolution, in the psychotic experience area, of the ambivalence towards vaginal desire; under hypnosis, modified state of consciousness favors surrendering to hypnotist's suggestions, in so far as it neutralizes, by diverse processes, subject's resistances, which recover from a refusal of the vaginal.

O verbo dissociar remete à cisão ou desagregação, termos esses que no campo da saúde mental estão associados à doença e à patologia, dificilmente à saúde. O objetivo desse trabalho foi mostrar como a concepção de dissociação foi construída socialmente a partir de mecanismos da mente (a associação e a desagregação de seus elementos) que se mantiveram como denominadores comuns ao longo da história da saúde mental por meio de práticas como o xamanismo, exorcismo, magnetismo animal e a hipnose. Finalmente, ao final do século XIX e início do século XX, a medicina e a nascente psicologia valeram-se da dissociação para estudarem fenômenos como as múltiplas personalidades, a histeria e mesmo a experiência religiosa, de maneira tal que diversos investigadores pioneiros como William James, Pierre Janet, Alfred Binet, Frederic Myers, Morton Prince e outros, integraram muitos (ou todos) desses princípios em suas próprias propostas teóricas e influenciaram toda a psicologia, ao conceituarem que a mente se dividia em consciente ou inconsciente, bem como apresentava múltiplos níveis e compartimentos que podiam ser tanto cindidos e desagregados como unidos e conectados. O método utilizado na investigação foi a revisão bibliográfica e a análise foi realizada a partir da ótica crítica da psicologia social. Essa tradição de pensamento psicológico cuja base é dissociativa (enquanto processo) e hipnótica (enquanto instrumento) foi obnubilada ao longo do século XX com o surgimento de novas propostas, como o behaviorismo e a psicanálise, e, também, com a patologização à qual o fenômeno dissociativo foi exposto ao longo do século XX. O presente trabalho concluiu que o estudo da dissociação é relevante para a psicologia tanto em seus aspectos históricos como atuais, por se tratar de um fenômeno psicológico presente em diversas teorias, normal em si, mas que pode adquirir conotação saudável ou patológica dependendo do contexto a partir do qual é avaliado. Por fim, concluiu também que a hipnose pode ser um valioso instrumento clínico que merece ser reintegrado à psicologia / Dissociate refers to splitting or disintegrating, terms that in the field of mental health usually refer to disease and pathology, hardly to health. The objective of this work was to show how the conception of dissociation was socially constructed through mechanisms of the mind (the association and the disintegration of its elements) that have remained common denominators throughout the history of mental health through practices such as shamanism, exorcism, animal magnetism and hypnosis. Finally, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, medicine and newborn psychology drew on dissociation to study phenomena such as multiple personalities, hysteria, and even religious experience, so that pioneering scholars such as William James, Pierre Janet, Alfred Binet, Frederic Myers, Morton Prince and others, integrated many (or all) of these principles into their own theoretical proposals and influenced all psychology by conceptualizing that the mind was divided into conscious or unconscious, levels and compartments that could be both spun-off and disaggregated as united and connected. The method used in the research was the bibliographical review and the analysis was carried out from the critical perspective of social psychology. This tradition of psychological thinking, whose basis is dissociative (as a process) and hypnotic (as an instrument) was obnubilated throughout the twentieth century with the emergence of new proposals, such as behaviorism and psychoanalysis, and also with the pathologization to which the dissociative phenomenon was exposed throughout the 20th century. The present study concluded that the study of dissociation is relevant for psychology in both its historical and current aspects, since it is a psychological phenomenon present in several theories, normal in itself, but which can acquire a healthy or pathological connotation depending on the context from which it is evaluated. Finally, he concluded that hypnosis can be a valuable clinical tool that deserves to be reintegrated into psychology