This article was downloaded by: [Carnegie Mellon University] On: 16 January 2015, At: 05:17 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ujhy20
Hypnotic Age Regression in an Experimental and Clinical Context a
Philip Spinhoven Ph.D. & Jorrit van Wijk a
b
University of Leiden , The Netherlands
b
Psychiatric Hospital Bloemendaal , The Netherlands Published online: 21 Sep 2011.
To cite this article: Philip Spinhoven Ph.D. & Jorrit van Wijk (1992) Hypnotic Age Regression in an Experimental and Clinical Context, American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 35:1, 40-46, DOI: 10.1080/00029157.1992.10402981 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00029157.1992.10402981
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/ page/terms-and-conditions
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL HYPNOSIS VOLUME 35, NUMBER 1, JULY
1992
Hypnotic Age Regression in an Experimental and Clinical Context
Downloaded by [Carnegie Mellon University] at 05:17 16 January 2015
Philip Spinhoven University ofLeiden, The Netherlands and Jorrit van Wijk Psychiatric Hospital Bloemendaal, The Netherlands
The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of a clinical context in the experience of hypnotic age regression. Twenty-five patients experienced hypnotic age regression in an experimental and clinical context in counterbalanced order. Patients obtained significantly lower scores for experimental age regression than for clinical age regression, in particular when the experimental assessment preceded the clinical assessment of age regression. Moreover, scores for clinical and experimental age regression were only significantly and positively correlated when the clinical assessment of age regression preceded the experimental assessment. These findings give a tentative indication that more patients are able to experience clinical age regression than can be predicted from their responses to an experimental suggestion for hypnotic age regression where almost no opportunities for patient contact or maximizing of hypnotic responsiveness are provided.
ing hypnotic age regression. Findings are more compatible with a broader definition of regression as the appearance of primitive mentation or the use of less sequential modes of information processing during hypnosis than with a definition of age regression as a literal reinstatement of childhood functioning. In the area of personality functioning, only the studies of Nash, Johnson, and Tipton (1979) and Nash, Lynn, Stanley, Frauman, and Rhue (1985) give some indications that under emotional meaningful circumstances there might be a partial reinstatement of interpersonal, rel-
Hypnotic age regression is an important hypnotic phenomenon in both experimental and clinical hypnosis. Recently, Nash (1987) published a review of empirical studies that have investigated whether there is a reinstatement of childhood psychological or physiological faculties durFor reprints write to Philip Spinhoven, Ph.D., Jelgersmapolikliniek, Rhijngeesterstraatweg 13, 2342 AN Oegstgeest, The Netherlands. Received September 5, 1989; revised May 10, 1990; second revision September 27, 1990; accepted for publication March 9, 1992. 40
Downloaded by [Carnegie Mellon University] at 05:17 16 January 2015
HYPNOTIC AGE REGRESSION
evant, affective processes in high-susceptible subjects. However, a follow-up study by Nash, Drake, Wiley, Khalsa, and Lynn (1986) on the accuracy of the hypnotic reliving indicated that the hypnotized subjects were less able than the waking controls to identify correctly the specific relived event (23% versus 70% accuracy). A related issue concerns the degree of overlap between experimental and clinical hypnotic age regression. 0 'Connell, Shor, and Orne (1970) state that the affective dimension of an experimental age regression differs from that of a clinical age regression. Assuming an incomplete identity between experimental and clinical age regression, it can be questioned whether experimental age regression as assessed with a standardized hypnotic susceptibility scale will prove to be predictive of hypnotic age regression in a clinical context (cp. Rossi, 1987). The aim of the present study was to investigate in what respects hypnotic responses to experimental age regression may be relevant for clinical age regression and in what respects clinical age regression differs from experimental age regression. Method Characteristics of the patients Patients were recruited from treatment groups from a psychotherapeutic unit of a psychiatric day hospital. These groups are composed of about eight patients and two or three therapists. Therapy consists of 20 weekly sessions of 4 hours. Patients from these groups receive no concurrent individual psychotherapy. The use of psychopharmacological drugs or other psychotropic drugs was the only exclusion criterion for entry into the study. All 25 patients who were asked to participate in the present study gave their informed consent. The total group con-
41
sisted of 19 female and 6 male patients withameanageof35.0 (SD=5.8; range=26 to 46). According to DSM-III criteria on axis I, ten patients had a dysthymic disorder, three patients another affective disorder, six patients had a disorder in the category of anxiety disorders, and six patients had various other disorders. On axis II, 12 patients had no personality disorder, five patients had an avoidant personality disorder, four patients had a mixed personality disorder, and three patients had various other personality disorders. All patients had at least attended 15 therapy sessions, and the amount of experienced clinical age regressions varied from 5 to 50 regressions. Design A within-group design was used with counterbalanced exposure to dependent measures. In one group the experimental assessment preceded the clinical assessment. In the other group, patients received the reversed sequence. Measures Hypnotic susceptibility. Level of hypnotic susceptibility was assessed with the Dutch version of the Stanford Hypnotic Clinical Scale (SHCS) (Oyen & Spinhoven, 1983) as developed by Hilgard and Hilgard (1975). The SHCS is a 20-minute, 5-item scale that is administered individually to the patient. SHCS scores range from 0 to 5. Age regression. Age regression was assessed with subjective ratings by the patients. The scoring criteria for the ageregression item of the SHCS (Hilgard & Hilgard, 1975, pp.219) were used for both the experimental and clinical age regression. Patients were asked to select one of the following statements: (1) "I did not go
Downloaded by [Carnegie Mellon University] at 05:17 16 January 2015
42
back at all"; (2) "I was thinking about when I was that age, but had no visual experiences"; (3) "Although I did not go back, I could see myself as a young child reliving a past experience"; (4) "I knew I was really my present age, but I felt in part as though I was reliving an experience"; and (5) "I actually felt as though I was back at the suggested age, and reliving a past experience." Following the scoring criteria for the age-regression item of the SHCS using this 5-point scale, an additional score was derived. Age regression was scored as passed if the subjective rating was 4 or 5 and as failed if the rating of the patient was less than 4.
Procedure The structure of the therapy sessions consisted of a preparation by I 1/2 hour of insight-oriented group psychotherapy followed by an individual clinical hypnosis trial. The session ended with a group discussion of the experiences and problems that had emerged during the hypnosis. Hypnosis was induced by a simple counting technique. After a signal by the patients that in their experience a sufficient level of hypnotic depth had been achieved, age regression was suggested using the affect- bridge technique as described by Watkins (1971). The hypnotic suggestions for clinical age regression were individualized because the emotional state of the patient was used as an "affect bridge" to an earlier period in the patient's history. Directly after the hypnotic experience, clinical age regression was assessed by the therapist who had worked with the patient using the scoring criteria for the ageregression item of the SHCS. Both the therapist and the patients were unaware of the aims of the present study. Precautions were taken that the patient's answers were not overheard by other patients in the
SPINHOVEN AND VAN WIJK
group. Hypnotic susceptibility and age regression in an experimental context were assessed by the SHCS administered by a research assistant on a different day. Patients were told that the standardized SHCS scale was used for investigative purposes and to give patients the opportunity to experience hypnosis and react to different hypnotic suggestions. The item for age regression of the SHCS constituted the measure for experimental age regression. The assistant was unaware of the aims of the study and also had no knowledge of patients' clinical scores for age regression (in case these scores were already obtained). Results
Hypnotic susceptibility The distribution of the SHCS hypnotizability scores was somewhat negatively skewed (M=1.9, SD=1.3). Two patients were highly hypnotizable, 13patients were of a medium hypnotizability, and the remaining 10 patients were low hypnotizabIes. Age regression in a clinical and experimental situation Both experimental and clinical age regression were determined with the 5-point scale of the item for age regression of the SHCS. Scores for age regression were analyzed with a 2 X 2 split-plot ANOV A with one between subjects variable (order of testing) and one within subjectss variable (moment oftesting)(see Table I). No significant main effects for order oftesting (F(I,23)=.81,n.s) or moment of testing (F(I,23)=.85,n.s.) were found. However, the interaction effect between order and moment of testing reached statistical significance (F(I,23)=6.23, p
American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ujhy20
Hypnotic Age Regression in an Experimental and Clinical Context a
Philip Spinhoven Ph.D. & Jorrit van Wijk a
b
University of Leiden , The Netherlands
b
Psychiatric Hospital Bloemendaal , The Netherlands Published online: 21 Sep 2011.
To cite this article: Philip Spinhoven Ph.D. & Jorrit van Wijk (1992) Hypnotic Age Regression in an Experimental and Clinical Context, American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 35:1, 40-46, DOI: 10.1080/00029157.1992.10402981 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00029157.1992.10402981
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/ page/terms-and-conditions
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL HYPNOSIS VOLUME 35, NUMBER 1, JULY
1992
Hypnotic Age Regression in an Experimental and Clinical Context
Downloaded by [Carnegie Mellon University] at 05:17 16 January 2015
Philip Spinhoven University ofLeiden, The Netherlands and Jorrit van Wijk Psychiatric Hospital Bloemendaal, The Netherlands
The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of a clinical context in the experience of hypnotic age regression. Twenty-five patients experienced hypnotic age regression in an experimental and clinical context in counterbalanced order. Patients obtained significantly lower scores for experimental age regression than for clinical age regression, in particular when the experimental assessment preceded the clinical assessment of age regression. Moreover, scores for clinical and experimental age regression were only significantly and positively correlated when the clinical assessment of age regression preceded the experimental assessment. These findings give a tentative indication that more patients are able to experience clinical age regression than can be predicted from their responses to an experimental suggestion for hypnotic age regression where almost no opportunities for patient contact or maximizing of hypnotic responsiveness are provided.
ing hypnotic age regression. Findings are more compatible with a broader definition of regression as the appearance of primitive mentation or the use of less sequential modes of information processing during hypnosis than with a definition of age regression as a literal reinstatement of childhood functioning. In the area of personality functioning, only the studies of Nash, Johnson, and Tipton (1979) and Nash, Lynn, Stanley, Frauman, and Rhue (1985) give some indications that under emotional meaningful circumstances there might be a partial reinstatement of interpersonal, rel-
Hypnotic age regression is an important hypnotic phenomenon in both experimental and clinical hypnosis. Recently, Nash (1987) published a review of empirical studies that have investigated whether there is a reinstatement of childhood psychological or physiological faculties durFor reprints write to Philip Spinhoven, Ph.D., Jelgersmapolikliniek, Rhijngeesterstraatweg 13, 2342 AN Oegstgeest, The Netherlands. Received September 5, 1989; revised May 10, 1990; second revision September 27, 1990; accepted for publication March 9, 1992. 40
Downloaded by [Carnegie Mellon University] at 05:17 16 January 2015
HYPNOTIC AGE REGRESSION
evant, affective processes in high-susceptible subjects. However, a follow-up study by Nash, Drake, Wiley, Khalsa, and Lynn (1986) on the accuracy of the hypnotic reliving indicated that the hypnotized subjects were less able than the waking controls to identify correctly the specific relived event (23% versus 70% accuracy). A related issue concerns the degree of overlap between experimental and clinical hypnotic age regression. 0 'Connell, Shor, and Orne (1970) state that the affective dimension of an experimental age regression differs from that of a clinical age regression. Assuming an incomplete identity between experimental and clinical age regression, it can be questioned whether experimental age regression as assessed with a standardized hypnotic susceptibility scale will prove to be predictive of hypnotic age regression in a clinical context (cp. Rossi, 1987). The aim of the present study was to investigate in what respects hypnotic responses to experimental age regression may be relevant for clinical age regression and in what respects clinical age regression differs from experimental age regression. Method Characteristics of the patients Patients were recruited from treatment groups from a psychotherapeutic unit of a psychiatric day hospital. These groups are composed of about eight patients and two or three therapists. Therapy consists of 20 weekly sessions of 4 hours. Patients from these groups receive no concurrent individual psychotherapy. The use of psychopharmacological drugs or other psychotropic drugs was the only exclusion criterion for entry into the study. All 25 patients who were asked to participate in the present study gave their informed consent. The total group con-
41
sisted of 19 female and 6 male patients withameanageof35.0 (SD=5.8; range=26 to 46). According to DSM-III criteria on axis I, ten patients had a dysthymic disorder, three patients another affective disorder, six patients had a disorder in the category of anxiety disorders, and six patients had various other disorders. On axis II, 12 patients had no personality disorder, five patients had an avoidant personality disorder, four patients had a mixed personality disorder, and three patients had various other personality disorders. All patients had at least attended 15 therapy sessions, and the amount of experienced clinical age regressions varied from 5 to 50 regressions. Design A within-group design was used with counterbalanced exposure to dependent measures. In one group the experimental assessment preceded the clinical assessment. In the other group, patients received the reversed sequence. Measures Hypnotic susceptibility. Level of hypnotic susceptibility was assessed with the Dutch version of the Stanford Hypnotic Clinical Scale (SHCS) (Oyen & Spinhoven, 1983) as developed by Hilgard and Hilgard (1975). The SHCS is a 20-minute, 5-item scale that is administered individually to the patient. SHCS scores range from 0 to 5. Age regression. Age regression was assessed with subjective ratings by the patients. The scoring criteria for the ageregression item of the SHCS (Hilgard & Hilgard, 1975, pp.219) were used for both the experimental and clinical age regression. Patients were asked to select one of the following statements: (1) "I did not go
Downloaded by [Carnegie Mellon University] at 05:17 16 January 2015
42
back at all"; (2) "I was thinking about when I was that age, but had no visual experiences"; (3) "Although I did not go back, I could see myself as a young child reliving a past experience"; (4) "I knew I was really my present age, but I felt in part as though I was reliving an experience"; and (5) "I actually felt as though I was back at the suggested age, and reliving a past experience." Following the scoring criteria for the age-regression item of the SHCS using this 5-point scale, an additional score was derived. Age regression was scored as passed if the subjective rating was 4 or 5 and as failed if the rating of the patient was less than 4.
Procedure The structure of the therapy sessions consisted of a preparation by I 1/2 hour of insight-oriented group psychotherapy followed by an individual clinical hypnosis trial. The session ended with a group discussion of the experiences and problems that had emerged during the hypnosis. Hypnosis was induced by a simple counting technique. After a signal by the patients that in their experience a sufficient level of hypnotic depth had been achieved, age regression was suggested using the affect- bridge technique as described by Watkins (1971). The hypnotic suggestions for clinical age regression were individualized because the emotional state of the patient was used as an "affect bridge" to an earlier period in the patient's history. Directly after the hypnotic experience, clinical age regression was assessed by the therapist who had worked with the patient using the scoring criteria for the ageregression item of the SHCS. Both the therapist and the patients were unaware of the aims of the present study. Precautions were taken that the patient's answers were not overheard by other patients in the
SPINHOVEN AND VAN WIJK
group. Hypnotic susceptibility and age regression in an experimental context were assessed by the SHCS administered by a research assistant on a different day. Patients were told that the standardized SHCS scale was used for investigative purposes and to give patients the opportunity to experience hypnosis and react to different hypnotic suggestions. The item for age regression of the SHCS constituted the measure for experimental age regression. The assistant was unaware of the aims of the study and also had no knowledge of patients' clinical scores for age regression (in case these scores were already obtained). Results
Hypnotic susceptibility The distribution of the SHCS hypnotizability scores was somewhat negatively skewed (M=1.9, SD=1.3). Two patients were highly hypnotizable, 13patients were of a medium hypnotizability, and the remaining 10 patients were low hypnotizabIes. Age regression in a clinical and experimental situation Both experimental and clinical age regression were determined with the 5-point scale of the item for age regression of the SHCS. Scores for age regression were analyzed with a 2 X 2 split-plot ANOV A with one between subjects variable (order of testing) and one within subjectss variable (moment oftesting)(see Table I). No significant main effects for order oftesting (F(I,23)=.81,n.s) or moment of testing (F(I,23)=.85,n.s.) were found. However, the interaction effect between order and moment of testing reached statistical significance (F(I,23)=6.23, p
