Hypnotherapy with affect bridge age regression for choking: a multiple-case study

Area of Science:

• Sport Psychology
• Clinical Hypnotherapy
• Phenomenology

Background:

• Athletes frequently experience 'choking under pressure,' a phenomenon impacting performance.
• Conventional sport hypnosis often focuses on immediate performance enhancement.
• The role of developmental experiences in athletic performance anxiety is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore athletes' experiences with clinical hypnotherapy utilizing affect bridge age regression.
• To understand how this technique addresses choking under pressure in athletes.
• To identify changes in performance and well-being following the intervention.

Main Methods:

• A multiple-case clinical study design was employed.
• Giorgi's descriptive phenomenological method was used for data analysis.
• Eight athletes (fencer, soccer player, baseball player, five golfers) participated.

Main Results:

• Participants reported pre-hypnotherapy difficulties including cognitive-emotional-perceptual disturbances and impaired motor control.
• During hypnotherapy, participants linked current symptoms to early-life events and reworked past misunderstandings.
• Post-hypnotherapy, athletes reported improvements in competitive performance, emotional regulation, and self-confidence.

Conclusions:

• Affect bridge age regression can complement sport hypnosis by addressing developmental experiences linked to current athletic symptoms.
• This short-term intervention format shows potential for enhancing athletes' psychological well-being and performance.
• The study highlights the subjective meaning structures athletes use to connect past experiences with present performance challenges.