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Published on: January 5, 2014
Hypnosis for schizophrenia
A Izquierdo de Santiago1, M Khan
1The Mount, 44 Hyde Terrace, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK, LS2 9LN. Angelica.cord@ntlworld.com
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|October 19, 2007
Summary
Hypnosis may be a helpful complementary therapy for schizophrenia, but current evidence is limited. More rigorous, well-reported randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm its effectiveness and safety.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry and Mental Health
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Background:
- Schizophrenia symptoms often persist despite conventional treatments.
- Investigating alternative therapies like hypnosis is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and acceptability of hypnosis for schizophrenia compared to standard care and other interventions.
- To synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials on hypnosis for schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- Searched major databases and contacted experts for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
- Included studies comparing hypnosis with standard care or other interventions for schizophrenia.
- Assessed study quality and extracted data, excluding studies with high loss to follow-up.
Main Results:
- Three small, outdated RCTs (n=149) were included.
- Hypnosis showed no significant difference in mental state, movement disorders, or neurocognitive function compared to standard treatment or relaxation.
- Hypnosis was found to be acceptable, with similar dropout rates to relaxation and music interventions.
Conclusions:
- Existing research on hypnosis for schizophrenia is limited by small sample sizes, poor reporting, and outdated methodologies.
- While hypnosis may offer benefits, further high-quality, well-designed randomized controlled trials are necessary to establish its role in schizophrenia management.
- No new studies have emerged since 2003, highlighting the need for updated research.
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