M.A. (Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The efficacy of a rational hypnotherapeutic intervention for anxiety states and panic attacks is the focus of this research. Based on a single subject research design, the co-researcher was asked to complete pre-therapy, during and post-therapy assessments of personality, self-concept, mood states, stress and physiological symptoms. The baseline period was two weeks and therapy lasted 13 weeks. There were two weeks of post-therapy measures and finally a six-month follow-up study. The intervention was comprised of progressive relaxation, guided imagery, a cognitive restructuring and behaviour rehearsal based on an A-B-C-D-E paradigm. The subject examined her self-defeating or irrational thoughts in critical incidents and her subjective emotional behavioural and physiological reactions. She was then asked to substitute her own new more rational thoughts in the same situation. Post-therapy results from the objective tests and self-reports demonstrated significant improvement in almost all areas. Following the rational hypnotherapeutic intervention the co-researcher showed a normal personality profile, increased self-concept, improvement in mood states and a significant reduction in stress and physiological symptoms. This improvement was maintained in the six-month follow-up. Rational hypnotherapy is effective, relatively short-term and encourages the client to play an active role in finding new ways to deal effectively with problems and accept control over his/her own life. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

The intent of this research is to demonstrate the effectiveness of hypnosis as a treatment for school refusal. The research design is a single-case study employing an A-B Follow-up format. The 10 year old male subject completed measures of personality (The Children's Personality Questionnaire), self-concept (The Piers-Harris Children's Self-concept Scale), identified stressors, and anxiety. The baseline period was two weeks and therapy lasted four weeks. Follow-up data was collected on the same measures ten months later. All post-therapy results indicate change in a more adaptive direction. The subject showed increased self-concept, lessened anxiety, greater ability to cope and he returned to school with little or no of the previous psychosomatic complaints evident. The follow-up results show that the subject has maintained his gains. Hypnosis is seen as an effective, fast method of treatment for school refusal, a syndrome which needs to be dealt with quickly since consequences can be severe for the child. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

The purpose of this research was to describe the use of autohypnosis as a psychotherapeutic intervention with hearing impaired college students specific to four clinical questions: A. Are hearing impaired persons susceptible to hypnosis? B. Can written hypnotic induction be used to introduce hearing impaired persons to relaxation technics? C. Can hearing impaired persons use autohypnosis to achieve a state of relaxation? D. While in a hypnotic state of relaxation can a hearing impaired subject engage in a predetermined fantasy?Eight oral hearing impaired undergraduates, between 18-22 years old, for eight consecutive days completed questionnaires germane to their use of hypnosis. Sixty four questionnaires were submitted to data analysis. Each subject's response as to perceived state of hypnosis was cross-tabulated with: five nonhypnotic state indicators;the amount of time displacement reported per hypnotic session; and three outcome indicators of subject having engaged in predetermined fantasy. The total absolute frequency of incidence(s) of hypnosis having occurred was calculated to be 49 out of 64 reported attempts. The relative frequency percentage was calculated as 75.6% which was interpreted as a descriptive indicator that oral hearing impaired persons utilizing a written autohypnotic technic are susceptible to and can induce, for self, a hypnotic state of relaxation. Additionally it was interpreted that for oral hearing impaired persons the induction technic does not have to deviate extensively from the traditional autohypnotic technic(s) used by (for) aural populations.The findings of this study were limited to the described sample, conditions, time frame and measurement instrument. However, from the 75.6% positive response to the clinical questions it was inferred that the overall outcome of the study was positive. Future research might affirm the appropriateness of autohypnotic relaxation therapy as a possible service to the deaf consumer of psychological counseling.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This case-based research of Mrs K, a 39 year old, white woman who has been facing weight problems since the age of six sheds light on the effectiveness of a Cognitive-behavioural hypnotherapy intervention as an aid to weight loss and the enhancement of body image and satisfaction. Literature is provided to contextualise the research question and both a quantitative and phenomenological approach to conducting the research is employed in this case study. The results are also discussed from both these perspectives. The subject’s body image improved over the eight session period and she was better able to understand and challenge her food cravings. At the start of the program she experienced thirty two cravings a week and by session eight they had reduced to 10. It was also found that the frequency of her five main self defeating cognitions (monitored and reported weekly on a cumulative basis) decreased from one hundred and twenty-one to eighty-two. While her actual weight-loss was not significant, the intervention assisted in her overall sense of well being facilitating self acceptance. The phenomenological section of this paper partially follows a model conceptualised by Fishman (2005), one of the leading founders of the journal Pragmatic Case Studies in Psychotherapy (PCSP). He advocates that as part of the study a clinical assessment and formulation be included so as to elucidate the subject’s context. It was found that Mrs K had experiences in life relating to themes of unworthiness and inadequacy. These experiences could have thus impacted on her eating behaviours resulting in negative and self defeating diet patterns to develop. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die enkelgevalstudie met Mev. K., ̛n 39 jarige blanke vrou wat sedert sesjarige ouderdom ̛n gewigsprobleem het, word die effektiwiteit van ̛n kognitiewe gedragshipnoterapeutiese intervensie, met betrekking tot gewigsverlies, liggaamlike selfbeeld en satisfaksie ondersoek. Kwantitatiewe sowel as ̛n kwalitatief fenomenologiese metode is gebruik om die navorsingsdata te ontleed. Tydens die agt sessies van die program het die persoon se liggaamlike selfbeeld verbeter en was daar ̛n verbeterende ingesteldheid teenoor voedsel – eetlus en kon sy dit beter verstaan en beheer. Aan die begin van die intervensie het sy 32 eetbegeertes ervaar wat afgeneem het na 10 aan die einde van die program. Die frekwensie van haar vyf hoof negatiewe gedagte-patrone (weekliks gerapporteer op ̛n kumulatiewe basis) het van 121 na 82 verminder. Terwyl haar fisiese gewigsverlies nie statisties noemenswaardig was nie, het haar oorkoepelende gevoel van algemene gesondheid haar selfaanvaarding gefasiliteer. Die fenomenologies-kwalitatiewe navorsingsgedeelte is gebaseer op die model van Fishman (2005), een van die stigterslede van die Pragmatic Case Studies in Psychotherapy (PCSP) Journal. Hy voer aan dat ‘n kliniese ondersoek en formulering in die intervensie ingesluit word om sodoende die persoon se konteks beter te skets. Die volgende temas, naamlik minderwaardigheid en ontoereikendheid, is fenomenologies geïdentifiseer. Laasgenoemde belewinge (temas) het ̛n negatiewe invloed op haar dieetpatroon gehad.

Thesis (M.A.)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study, a Multiple Baseline across People design was used with a sample of 6 Fibromyalgia (FS) sufferers in order to evaluate the efficacy of a multidimensional treatment programme on: pain intensity, duration of pain experiences and intake of medication. The programme which consisted of weekly 2 hourly sessions over a period of 6 weeks, combined hypnotherapy and self-hypnosis with cognitive-behavioural techniques. Attempts were made to customise interventions to the specific needs of the individual. The following three hypotheses were postulated: That introduction of the treatment programme would: 1) reduce pain intensity levels; 2) reduce the duration of pain experiences (average daily pain hours) thus minimising the interference of pain into the lives of the patients; 3) reduce the intake of medication. All three of the hypotheses are supported by the results. Graphs show that pain intensity levels, average daily pain hours (duration) and intake of medication clearly decreased over the treatment process from baseline to follow up. For hypotheses 1 and 2, the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was applied which showed that the results were also statistically significant. The study yielded qualitative information regarding two areas of FS: 1) possible etiological factors contributing towards the syndrome; 2) the elucidation of various therapeutic components responsible for alleviating specific FS symptoms. In particular, the study highlights the importance of targeting maladaptive cognitions linked to pain experiences as well as of taking account of individual interpersonal issues in the management of FS sufferers. An etiological model is presented by the author which views FS within a systemic framework III which vanous variables (psychological and physiological) operating at the individual, environmental and socio-cultural levels, interact to produce the syndrome. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie is van 'n Meervoudige Basislynontwerp met Mense (''Multiple Baseline across People") gebruik gemaak om 'n steekproef van 6 Fibromialgie (FS) pasiente te evalueer ten opsigte van pynintensiteit, tydsduur van pynervarings en die inneem van medikasie. Die program, 'n kombinasie van hipnose met kognitiewe gedragstegnieke, het bestaan uit weeklikse sessies van 2 ure elk oor 'n tydperk van 6 weke. Die intervensies wat plaasgevind het, was ook gerig op die spesifieke behoeftes van die individu. Die volgende drie hipoteses IS gestel, naamlik dat die toepassing van die behandelingsprogram sou: 1) die pyn-intensiteitsvlakke verminder; 2) die tydsduur van die pyn-ervarings verminder en die voorkoms van pyn in die pasient se lewe minimaliseer; 3) die inname van medikasie verminder. Al drie hipoteses is betekenisvolondersteun deur die resultate. Die statistiese grafieke het getoon dat die pyn-intensiteitsvlakke, die gemiddelde daaglikse pyn-ervaringsure en die inname van medikasie, betekenisvol verminder het oor die behandelingsperiode vanaf basislyn tot opvolgperiode. Die ''Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test" het ten opsigte van hipoteses 1 en 2 ook statisties betekenisvolle resultate aangetoon. Die kwalitatiewe inligting vanuit die ondersoek bekom, het twee aspekte rakende FS navore gebring, naamlik: 1) die moontlike etiologiese faktore wat bedra tot die sindroom en 2) 'n duideliker omlyning van die terapeutiese komponente verantwoordelik vir die versagting van spesifieke FS simptome. In besonder is die wanaangepaste kognisies geassosieer met pynervanrings uitgelig, asook die interpersoonlike probleme wat FS pasiente ervaar in die behandelingsprogram. 'n Etiologiese model, wat FS binne 'n sisterniese raamwerk plaas, IS deur die navorser voorgestel. Laasgenoemde model spreek die verskeidenheid van sielkundige en fisiologiese veranderlikes, wat op die individu, omgewing en sosiokulturele vlakke inwerk, op so 'n wyse aan dat dit die sindroom meer verklaarbaar maak.

Historically psychobiography has focused to a large extent on the study of pathology in human development. In recent years, scholars in the field of psychobiography have recommended that studies with a eugraphic focus be undertaken, thereby investigating optimal human development. Milton Hyland Erickson (1901-1980) was an American psychologist and psychiatrist. An extraordinary creative individual who conducted pioneering work in the field of hypnosis. Whilst vast publications of his academic work exist and his work is continued through the Milton H. Erickson Foundation and its global subsidiaries, in comparison, his life story has not been the focus of much study. The psychobiographical merit of Erickson as the subject of the study was based on his involvement in interesting and important events, as well as his resilient attitude towards life, during even dire moments. The focus of this psychobiography was to conceptualise Erickson’s life in terms of the principles of Adler’s Individual Psychology and Peterson and Seligman’s Character Strengths and Virtues Classification. Through this process it was aimed to provide descriptions and interpretations of Erickson’s personality in order to illuminate aspects such as his creativity, service to others, and optimism. The study is written from the first person perspective and is rooted in the interpretive paradigm. It utilises a qualitative research approach in order to gain an in-depth understanding of Erickson’s finished life and thereby taking into account contextual factors. The two theoretical frameworks guided the iterative data collection and data analysis processes and the data were organised into a descriptive framework. The method of data analysis was idiographic thus describing the uniqueness of Erickson life. Strategies such as the triangulation of data sources and theory, focusing on aspects of saliency, trustworthiness, and ethics were employed to ensure reliable data extraction and interpretation. The study revealed that both theoretical frameworks were appropriate in their description and interpretation of Erickson’s personality and character strengths. Of significance was the protective role that creativity, social interest, hope, and optimism played against trauma and these emerged as central themes in Erickson’s life in terms of his psychological wellbeing. The findings on creativity and social interest are supported by existing research and theory but also highlight perspectives for future research. Creativity is a key component of knowledge production and therefore research in this area could improve our understanding of how it can be nurtured and developed across the lifespan. Whilst the construct of social interest was integral to this study its validity in terms of providing adequate explanations of how individuals balance their own needs against the needs of others was examined and suggestions of where the theory can be elaborated were highlighted.

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)

Twenty seven of forty one learners at a remedial school were identified as having negative self-esteem. The learners self-esteem correlated with their barriers to learning. Hypnosis was considered as a possible technique to build positive self-esteem in these learners. The study used hypnotherapy on two learners who were identified as having negative self-esteem. The identification was based on the results of a selfconcept inventory. After a few sessions of hypnotherapy, the test was readministered. The results before and after indicate a positive change in the self-concept scores. This will have to be researched further,but there are significant indications that hypnotherapy may be one of the ways of building positive self-esteem in learners. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

Cognitive therapy for the treatment of depression has generated substantial research indicating its effectiveness and it is currently considered among the most viable conceptualizations of depression. However, it has remained controversial because its methods do not directly address emotional symptoms in depressed persons. Treatment of depressed emotions is a primary focus of hypnotic mood elevating techniques. These techniques enable depressed persons to experience positive emotions during hypnosis sessions and to re-experience them daily concurrent with performance of certain specified behaviors. This study evaluated the efficacy of a multicomponent treatment which combines the techniques of cognitive therapy and hypnotic mood elevation in the treatment of depressed persons. The three treatment conditions constructed for this investigation were cognitive therapy plus hypnotic mood elevation, cognitive therapy plus pseudo-biofeedback, and no treatment waiting list.