Are Hypnosis and Dissociation Related? New Evidence for a Connection

Author(s)

J. M. Cleveland
B. M. Korman
Steven N. Gold, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis

ISSN

0020-7144

Publication Date

1-1-2015

Abstract

The authors revisit the question of the existence of a relationship between hypnotizability and dissociative capacity. In the present study, the State Scale of Dissociation (SSD) replaced the commonly employed Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) as a measure of dissociation, due to the latter capturing primarily pathological aspects of dissociation. Relationships between the Harvard Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (HGSHS:A), the SSD, and the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI) were assessed in the context of hypnosis. Robust results were found when comparing pre- to post-SSD scores, suggesting heightened nonpathological forms of dissociation are indeed related to hypnotizability. The appropriateness of the DES and similar trait-based measures for evaluating hypnotic phenomena is discussed as well as the relationships between PCI and SSD subscales.

DOI

10.1080/00207144.2015.1002691

Volume

63

Issue

2

First Page

198

Last Page

214

NSUWorks Citation

Cleveland, J. M., Korman, B. M., Gold, S. N. (2015). Are Hypnosis and Dissociation Related? New Evidence for a Connection. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 63(2), 198-214.
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facarticles/976