Experiencing Hypnotizability Scale Motor Items by an Amputee: A Brief Report

American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis,  Jul 2005  by Page, Roger A,  Green, Joseph P

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Assessment of Hypnotizability

As part of a comprehensive study, the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (HGSHS:A; Shor & Orne, 1962) was administered via tape recording to a group of introductory psychology students at a Midwestern university during their regularly scheduled class time. During the administration, we noticed this individual responding to the hand and arm motor items despite the fact he was missing a large portion of his right arm. Following the group hypnosis session, he agreed to participate in a post-experimental interview. This occurred two days following the group hypnosis session.

The participant passed 8 of the 12 standard HGSHS: A suggestions. He passed two out of the three relevant motor items involving his missing hand/arm (item #5: Finger Lock, and item #7: Hands Moving Together). He did not pass the Arm Immobilization suggestion involving his right arm. When questioned about the Arm Immobilization suggestion, he responded, "It felt like I had my right hand and it was getting heavier. I was able to lift it a little, but it was very heavy." Despite this experience, he believed that he was able to lift the non-existent hand and arm more than the maximum of one inch required to pass the item-thus failing the suggestion. When questioned about the next relevant motor item (i.e., Finger Lock), he stated, "It actually felt like I felt my fingers." He reported that he was not able to pull his "interlocked fingers" apart during the ??-second trial adding that it was very difficult to separate his "hands." Finally, regarding the motor item (Hands Moving Together), he reported that his "hands" touched. He stated, "It felt like I was clapping my hands."

Discussion

The fact that this individual experienced the reported sensations seems extraordinary given that his right arm had been amputated over two and one-half decades earlier. Because he passed 8 of the 12 suggestions on the HGSHS: A, our participant is classified as a "moderately-high hypnotizable." It appears that his ability to experience the HGSHS: A motor-item suggestions is correlated to his ability to experience phantom sensations in his missing limb. Further research needs to contrast amputee patients with and without phantom limb sensations across hypnotic suggestions involving imaginary sensations and experiences involving their missing limbs. Such research may answer questions regarding the potential association between cognitive variables such as absorption, dissociation, hypnotizability, fantasy and imagination, and the type and the intensity of phantom limb experiences. Future research may provide the answers to these previously unaddressed questions.

References

Anderson, M. (1958). Four cases of phantom limb treated with ultrasound. Physical Therapy Review, 38, 419-420.

Kamen, L., & Chapis, G. (1994). Prosthetics: Phantom limb sensation and phantom pain. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 8, 73-88.

Melzack, R. (1990). Phantom limbs and the concept of a neuromatrix. Trends in Neuroscience, 13, 88-92.