Hypnotherapy attitudes in Malaysian patients with major depressive disorder: a mixed-methods study

Despite growing evidence for hypnotherapy as an adjunctive intervention for major depressive disorder (MDD), uptake remains limited, partly due to patient misconceptions and stigma. Attitudinal research in non-Western clinical populations remains scarce. This study examined attitudes toward hypnotherapy among Malaysian adults with MDD, the influence of demographic and clinical variables on those attitudes, and the psychosocial factors underlying them. A mixed-methods design was used. Sixty-two outpatients with a DSM-5-TR diagnosis of MDD completed the Malay-translated Attitudes Toward Hypnosis Questionnaire (ATHQ-Malay) and the Credibility/Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ). A purposive extreme-case subsample of ten participants completed structured interviews, analyzed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis. Demographic variables did not significantly predict ATHQ-Malay scores. The sole significant finding was higher Mental Stability among medicated participants, t(60) = 2.52, p = .014. Four qualitative themes emerged: concerns about control and privacy, trust and mental preparedness, media influence and public perception, and therapeutic efficacy and expectations. Attitudes toward hypnotherapy were shaped by psychosocial rather than demographic factors. Targeted psychoeducation addressing control, confidentiality, and therapeutic credibility may meaningfully improve receptivity to hypnotherapy as an adjunctive treatment for MDD.