The inpatient treatment of patients suffering from (motor) conversion symptoms: a description of eight cases

This article presents a preliminary study that used two controlled randomized trials to study the effect of hypnosis in the treatment of eight patients with (motor) conversion symptoms. Controlled research into the treatment of conversion symptoms is scarce and can often be criticized on methodological grounds. It would appear, however, that both the use of suggestive and behavioral therapeutic techniques and eclectic treatment programs yield good results in the treatment of conversion symptoms. The results of the study suggest that comprehensive clinical treatment including hypnosis has enough promise to be studied in clinical trials. In the interpretation of the results, special attention is given to primary diagnosis, duration of complaints, traumatic experiences in childhood, dissociative capacity, and hypnotizability.