effect of hypnotic training programs on the academic performance of students, The

American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, Oct 2006 by De Vos, H M, Louw, D A

Abstract

The main objective of the present study was to empirically verify the effect of hypnotic training programs on the academic performance of students. A pre and posttest design was used. Two experimental and two control groups (total sample N=119) of volunteer second year psychology students at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa comprised the sample. One of the experimental groups was exposed to active alert hypnosis and the other to relaxation hypnosis. One control group was exposed to progressive relaxation, while the other did not receive any intervention. The participants' April grades were used as a pretest, while their June grades served as a posttest. The two hypnotic training programs had a significant effect on the academic achievement of the participants, which was not found in the control groups. Regarding the efficacy of the two programs, however, no significant difference was found.

Key words: Hypnosis, hypnotic training, academic performance, active alert hypnosis, relaxation hypnosis, hypnotic suggestibility.

Mental training programs that are based on hypnosis have already been used for quite some time in various fields of psychology in order to improve performance (Cox, 1994; Orlick & McCaffrey, 1991; Pates & Maynard, 2000; Patrick & Hrycaiko, 1998). However, claims which are not always empirically founded are often made regarding the use of such mental training programs (Peter, 1996; Wikstrom, 1996). According to Fritschholtz (1996), these claims apply particularly to programs which entail the use of hypnosis and the learning of self-hypnotic skills. On the other hand, however, it is equally true that if such programs appear to have some value, they could contribute considerably towards improving a student's learning behavior and empowering him or her academically. Two such mental training programs that claim to improve academic performance are those of Nel (1993), which is based on relaxation hypnosis and Wark (1996) which is based on active-alert hypnosis.

Mental training programs originated in the field of sport psychology. The publication in 1898 of the work by Norman Triplett emphasizing the athlete and the influence of his environment, is regarded as the first attempt to establish the importance of mental training programs (Weinberg & Gould, 1995). Betts's 1909 investigations of visualization in human beings has for the past 90 years served as the motivation for the emergence of mental training exercises (Potgieter, 1997). During the past decade, mental training programs have also been applied to the promotion of academic performance with scholars and students (Wark, 1996; West, 2003).

As far as the mentioned field of sport psychology is concerned, mental training programs are defined as the cognitive exercising of a physical skill with the aim of mastering or acquiring the skill in question, without the occurrence of any observable movement (Bar-Eli, Dreshman, Blumenstein & Weinstein, 2002; Cox, 1994). According to Gather and Benson (2000), the mental training programs that are applied to academic performance concentrate on the same techniques as those that are used in sport psychology, for example, mental imagery, relaxation, behavioral modification, cognitive restructuring, active-alert hypnosis, relaxation hypnosis, self-hypnosis, meditation, and self-dialogue. Most mental training programs make use of combinations of the above-mentioned techniques (Patrick & Hryciako, 1998; Wang, Huddleston & Peng, 2003).

The traditional view of hypnosis as an altered form of the sleeping state was questioned by Banyai and Hilgard (1976). In these researchers' experimental design, participants were exposed to active-alert suggestions and a stationary ergometer, and evaluated on the basis of the SHSSA (Forms A and B). No significant differences were found in respect of the hypnotic phenomena. This led to the conclusion that the relaxation- or sleep-oriented behavior, which is traditionally associated with hypnosis, is a result of the type of suggestion that is given during the hypnotic process.

Empirical research indicates that no statistically significant differences exist between active-alert hypnosis and traditional relaxation hypnosis in respect of standard hypnotic phenomena. Researchers (Banyai, 1980; Banyai, Mezaros & Greguss, 1983; Cikurel & Gruzelier, 1990; Fellows & Richardson, 1993; Kelly, 1985; Mallot, 1984; Wark, 1996) have reported, however, that subjective experiential differences have been observed in the participants in respect of the application of the two hypnotic procedures. After relaxation hypnosis, the participants felt sleepy and presented with a low activity level, while the participants who were exposed to active-alert hypnosis were more active, displayed a heightened attention span and experienced feelings of excitement and alertness.

Liebert, Rubin and Hilgard (1965) were among the first researchers who applied the active form of hypnosis to the learning process. They found that participants under active-alert hypnosis made fewer errors in the learning of nonsensical word associations than participants under relaxation hypnosis or in the normal waking state. In a more comprehensive study by Wark ( 1996), a selected group of students participated in a 10-week mental training program based on active-alert hypnosis. The program was mainly focused on the following variables: enlargement of the attention span, improvement of concentration, motivation and mental alertness. Visualization exercises and the use of self-hypnosis comprised an inherent part of the program. The Creative Imagination Scale (Wilson & Barber, 1978) was used to select students who were highly suggestible or who displayed strong hypnotic potential. The finding of the study was that the student's academic performance improved significantly (Wark, 1996).