Basic HTML Version
COGNITIVE HYPNOTHERAPY FOR DEPRESSION
157
the low suggestible subjects. This is more apparent at the termination
of treatment (Week 16) and during follow-ups (Week 42/6-month
and Week 68/12-month). However, there was no correlation
between hypnotic suggestibility and anxiety scores (BAI) in the CH
group at the termination of treatment. This indicates that the major-
ity of the subjects in the CH group, irrespective of level of suggest-
ibility, benefited from hypnosis in the management of anxiety. In
the CBT group, there was no correlation between BSS scores and
BHS scores at Week 16, implying that subjects irrespective of sug-
gestibility reduced their sense of hopelessness with the help of
CBT. There was also no correlation between BSS and BAI scores at
termination of treatment and at follow-ups in the CBT group. This
is not surprising, as the CBT group did not receive anxiety manage-
ment in the form of hypnosis so there was no correlation between
anxiety scores and level of hypnotic suggestibility. On the other
hand, the anxious depressives, particularly those who were moderate
to highly suggestible to hypnosis, were more successful in managing
their anxiety.
D
ISCUSSION
This paper represents the first controlled comparison of hypnother-
apy (CH) with a well-established psychotherapy (CBT) for the treatment
of clinical depression. Both CH and CBT produced a significant reduc-
tion in depressive symptoms at the termination of treatment and during
follow-ups. The results lend further support to the effectiveness of CBT
with chronic depression. However, when CBT was supplemented by
hypnosis there was an additive effect. The effect size for CH was
significantly larger both at the end of the intervention and during 6- and
12-month follow-ups. The results confirm the findings and conclusions
reported by Bryant, Moulds, Guthrie, and Nixon (2005), Kirsch,
Table 4
Correlation Between Hypnotic Suggestibility (BSS) and Clinical Improvement
Treatment Group Measures
Week 16
Week 42
Week 68
CH
BDI-II
−
.587**
−
.628**
−
.632**
BAI
−
.232
−
.349*
−
.332*
BHS
−
.512**
−
.591**
−
.644**
CBT
BDI-II
−
.535**
−
.531**
−
.480**
BAI
−
.018
−
.164
−
.110
BHS
−
.252
−
.424**
−
.450**
Note.*
p
< .05. **
p
< .01.
Downloaded by [ ] at 04:40 26 March 2012