Clinical applications of self-hypnosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the efficacy of self-hypnosis as a clinical treatment. Searching for “self-hypnosis,” “self-hypnotic,” “autosuggestion,” and “autohypnosis” returned 576 studies, of which 22 met the definition of being an RCT. Self-hypnosis has been reported to be effective in studies of pain, childbirth, pediatric applications, stress, and anxiety. Methodological differences among studies are discussed. Self-hypnosis is most likely to be effective when taught as an independent self-directed skill and when it involves at least 3 practice sessions before participation in a trial. Experience of heterohypnosis does not seem to be essential in producing an effect for self-hypnosis. Studies reporting no effect typically involved participants listening to audio recordings of heterohypnosis only. Meta-analysis revealed a medium-to-large effect size for self-hypnosis in clinical treatment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)