Hypnosis in patients with perceived stress - a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Complementary Medicine

Background:

• Hypnosis and hypnotherapy are increasingly popular, yet their impact on perceived stress is not well-established.
• A systematic review was conducted to evaluate randomized clinical studies on hypnosis for stress reduction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and evaluate randomized clinical trials investigating the effect of hypnosis on perceived stress reduction and coping mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Searched multiple databases (e.g., PubMed, PsycINFO) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) up to December 2015.
• Included studies focused on hypnosis or hypnotherapy for stress reduction in healthy participants.
• Assessed risk of bias using Cochrane Collaboration recommendations.

Main Results:

• Nine RCTs with 365 participants (mostly female medical students) were included.
• Six studies reported positive effects of hypnosis on perceived stress reduction.
• However, all studies had exploratory designs and a high risk of bias; immunological outcomes were inconclusive.

Conclusions:

• The effectiveness of hypnosis or hypnotherapy for stress reduction remains unclear due to study design limitations and high risk of bias.
• Further high-quality clinical research is essential to validate these findings.