A systematic review was conducted of school-based prevention and early intervention programs for anxiety. The aim of the review was to identify and describe the programs available, and to evaluate their effectiveness in reducing symptoms of anxiety. Twenty-seven outcome trials, describing 20 individual programs, were identified through the Cochrane Library, PsycInfo and PubMed databases. Results of the review indicated that most universal, selective and indicated prevention programs are effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety in children and adolescents, with effect sizes ranging from 0.11 to 1.37. Most programs targeted adolescents (59%), were aimed at reducing the symptoms of nonspecific anxiety (67%), and delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT; 78%). Further quality school-based research is required that involves longer-term follow-up, the use of attention control conditions and evaluates teacher delivery.

Clin Psychol Rev. 2009 Apr;29(3):208-15. Neil AL, Christensen H. Centre for Mental Health Research, Building 63 Eggleston Road, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia. Alison.Neil@anu.edu.au

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether participation in a mind-body skills group program based on psychological self-care, mind-body techniques, and self-expression decreases symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHOD: Eighty-two adolescents meeting criteria for PTSD according to the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (which corresponds with 16 of the 17 diagnostic criteria for PTSD in DSM-IV) were randomly assigned to a 12-session mind-body group program or a wait-list control group. The program was conducted by high school teachers in consultation with psychiatrists and psychologists and included meditation, guided imagery, and breathing techniques; self-expression through words, drawings, and movement; autogenic training and biofeedback; and genograms. Changes in PTSD symptoms were measured using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire. The study was conducted from September 2004 to May 2005 by The Center for Mind-Body Medicine at a high school in the Suhareka region of Kosovo. RESULTS: Students in the immediate intervention group had significantly lower PTSD symptom scores following the intervention than those in the wait-list control group (F = 29.8, df = 1,76; p < .001). Preintervention and postintervention scores (mean [SD]) for the intervention group were 2.5 (0.3) and 2.0 (0.3), respectively, and for the control group, 2.5 (0.3) and 2.4 (0.4), respectively. The decreased PTSD symptom scores were maintained in the initial intervention group at 3-month follow-up. After the wait-list control group received the intervention, there was a significant decrease (p < .001) in PTSD symptom scores compared to the preintervention scores. CONCLUSIONS: Mind-body skills groups can reduce PTSD symptoms in war-traumatized high school students and can be effectively led by trained and supervised schoolteachers. Copyright 2008 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

J Clin Psychiatry. 2008 Sep;69(9):1469-76. Gordon JS, Staples JK, Blyta A, Bytyqi M, Wilson AT. The Center for Mind-Body Medicine, 5225 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 414, Washington, DC 20015, USA. jgordon@cmbm.org

False beliefs and memories can affect people's attitudes, at least in the short term. But can they produce real changes in behavior? This study explored whether falsely suggesting to subjects that they had experienced a food-related event in their childhood would lead to a change in their behavior shortly after the suggestion and up to 4 months later. We falsely suggested to 180 subjects that, as children, they had gotten ill after eating egg salad. Results showed that, after this manipulation, a significant minority of subjects came to believe they had experienced this childhood event even though they had initially denied having experienced it. This newfound autobiographical belief was accompanied by the intent to avoid egg salad, and also by significantly reduced consumption of egg-salad sandwiches, both immediately and 4 months after the false suggestion. The false suggestion of a childhood event can lead to persistent false beliefs that have lasting behavioral consequences.

Psychol Sci. 2008 Aug;19(8):749-53. Geraerts E, Bernstein DM, Merckelbach H, Linders C, Raymaekers L, Loftus EF. University of St. Andrews, School of Psychology, St. Mary's Quadrangle, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, United Kingdom. elke.geraerts@st-andrews.ac.uk

The authors review the literature relating hypnotizability and posttraumatic stress. Sixty-seven abstracts containing the key terms ASD, acute stress, trauma, traumatic, or PTSD in combination with either hypnotic susceptibility or hypnotizability were reviewed. Six articles were found containing data on hypnotizability and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Each of the studies showed some relation between hypnotizability and posttraumatic stress, but, in all of them, hypnotizability was measured after the potentially traumatizing event. High hypnotizability might be a risk factor for both acute and chronic posttraumatic symptoms. However, this cannot be determined until prospective studies measure hypnotizability in individuals before and after a potentially traumatizing event, perhaps by targeting populations that are at risk for experiencing trauma.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2008 Jul;56(3):334-56. Yard SS, DuHamel KN, Galynker II. Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York, USA. samyard@u.washington.edu

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has increased both by parents and health care providers. Despite scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of stimulants in the treatment of ADHD, the use of stimulants has received negative publicity and, for many parents, is worrisome. Concerns regarding adverse effects and the prospect of long-term use of pharmacologic treatments make many parents uncomfortable thus they seek "alternative treatments." With the information explosion produced by the Internet, marketing for alternative therapies such as herbal remedies, elimination diets, and food supplements for ADHD has increased. Many people use CAM because they are attracted to the CAM philosophies and health beliefs, dissatisfied with the process or results of conventional treatments, or concerned about adverse effects of stimulants.

Although some scientific evidence exists regarding some CAM therapies, for most there are key questions regarding safety and efficacy of these treatments in children. The aim of this article is to provide a general overview and focus on the evidence-based studies of CAM modalities that are commonly used for ADHD.

Adolesc Med State Art Rev. 2008 Aug;19(2):313-26, xi. Sawni A. Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 3901 Beaubien

Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48301, USA. asawni@med.wayne.edu

This study evaluated the benefits of add-on hypnotherapy in patients with chronic PTSD. Thirty-two PTSD patients treated by SSRI antidepressants and supportive psychotherapy were randomized to 2 groups: 15 patients in the first group received Zolpidem 10 mg nightly for 14 nights, and 17 patients in the hypnotherapy group were treated by symptom-oriented hypnotherapy, twice-a-week 1.5-hour sessions for 2 weeks. All patients completed the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C, Beck Depression Inventory, Impact of Event Scale, and Visual Subjective Sleep Quality Questionnaire before and after treatment. There was a significant main effect of the hypnotherapy treatment with PTSD symptoms as measured by the Posttraumatic Disorder Scale. This effect was preserved at follow-up 1 month later. Additional benefits for the hypnotherapy group were decreases in intrusion and avoidance reactions and improvement in all sleep variables assessed.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2008 Jul;56(3):270-80. Abramowitz EG, Barak Y, Ben-Avi I, Knobler HY. Israel Defense Forces, Mental Health Department, Israel. eitanmd@zahav.net.il

WEBWIRE – Thursday, March 19, 2009 Something strange is going on in the amygdala -- an almond-shaped structure deep in the human brain -- among people with autism.

Researchers at the University of Washington have discovered an increased pattern of brain activity in the amygdalas of adults with autism that may be linked to the social deficits that typically are associated with the disorder. Previous research at the UW and elsewhere has shown that abnormal growth patterns in the amygdala are commonly found among young children diagnosed with autism.

[More]

BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that the assumption of a relationship between self-mutilation and dissociative disorders (DD) has a long history, there is little empirical evidence to support this premise. The present study examined this relationship and investigated whether this commonality is associated with innate hypnotic capacity. METHODS: Fifty patients diagnosed with DD and 50 control subjects with major depression were assessed by using a self-mutilation questionnaire, Dissociative Experiences Scale, Traumatic Experiences Checklist, and the Eye-Roll Sign for their self-mutilating behaviors, dissociative symptoms, early trauma, and innate hypnotic capacity, respectively. RESULTS: We have found that 82% of the present sample of patients with DD injured themselves. They had higher scores on trauma, dissociation and eye-roll measurements than controls. In addition, DD patients with self-mutilation were more likely to have high scores of trauma, dissociation and eye-roll than those without self-mutilation. Innate hypnotic capacity was a strong predictor of self-mutilating behavior in DD patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study strongly supports the assumption that patients with DD are at high risk for self-mutilating behavior and points to the necessity of routine screening for self-mutilating behavior as well as the hypnotic capacity which may constitute a high risk for self-injury in this patient group.

Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci. 2008;45(1):39-48. Ebrinc S, Semiz UB, Basoglu C, Cetin M, Agargun MY, Algul A, Ates A. GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Istanbul, Turkey.

This article adopts a holistic view of Alzheimer's disease. Biomedical, psychological and social aspects of the condition are discussed, and aetiology, epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment explored. A range of approaches to working with people with Alzheimer's disease, based on a psychological model of dementia, is described including reminiscence and cognitive stimulation therapy.

McCabe L. University of Stirling, Stirling. l.f.m.mccabe@stir.ac.uk Nurs Stand. 2008 Jun 25-Jul 1;22(42):50-6; quiz 58.

The various forms of treatment for tinnitus that have been tested in properly controlled trials can be classified as pharmacological, acoustic-physical, and psychological. In clinical trials, no pharmacological agent has been shown to have lasting effect on the presence or severity of tinnitus, although there are promising signs in an animal model. Acoustic devices do not seem to influence tinnitus, although appropriately fitted hearing aids may slightly reduce its prominence. Of physical treatments, cortical implantation may hold some promise of being effective for tinnitus suppression in selected cases. A psychological treatment that has emerged as consistently beneficial is cognitive-behavior therapy in terms of affecting overall wellbeing and reducing level of tinnitus annoyance.

Noble W. Trends Amplif. 2008 Jul 17.

This article presents an overview of speech and language difficulties in children and briefly comments on intervention practices. Difficulties affecting the development of speech and language in children are considered to be the most common of paediatric disabilities and may have long-lasting effects on social skills, behaviour, education and employment. Referral to speech and language therapy services is crucial and primary health care workers have an important role in identifying those at risk. Some signposts for referral are given, though mechanisms and criteria will differ from Trust to Trust. Communication is acknowledged to be a central element in an individual's health and well-being and is critical to emotional, cognitive and social functioning. The application of the ICF framework is considered.

Vitkovitch J. Speech and Language School of Allied Health Professionals, University of East Anglia, Norwich. J Fam Health Care. 2008;18(3):93-5.

Experiential (emotional) avoidance (EA), a core concept in acceptance and commitment therapy, involves an unwillingness to endure upsetting emotions, thoughts, memories, and other private experiences; and is hypothesized to play a role in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The present study examined how well EA, relative to traditional cognitive-behavioral theoretical constructs such as dysfunctional core beliefs about intrusive thoughts, predicts obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms. A sample of 353 non-clinical participants completed measures of EA, core "obsessive" beliefs, and OC symptoms. Individuals reporting greater levels of OC symptoms endorsed more obsessive beliefs and EA relative those with lower levels of OC symptoms, even when accounting for general levels of psychological distress. Among those with more OC symptoms, EA did not show relationships with obsessive beliefs. Moreover, EA did not add significantly to the prediction of OC symptom dimensions over and above the contribution of general distress and obsessive beliefs. Obsessive beliefs, meanwhile, contributed significantly to the prediction of OC checking and obsessing symptoms after accounting for EA. It appears the construct of EA is too general to explain OC symptoms over and above cognitive-behavioral constructs such as core obsessive beliefs, which are more specific.

Abramowitz JS, Lackey GR, Wheaton MG. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States. J Anxiety Disord. 2008 Jun 24.

Most research establishing the relationship between cognition and functioning in schizophrenia has been conducted cross-sectionally, leaving unanswered the question of whether there is a predictive relationship between temporal change in cognition and temporal change in functioning. In the present study, we used longitudinal mixed models to examine the relationship between change in cognition and change in Quality of Life (QLS), as measured over three time-points spanning a 12-month period, for 151 schizophrenia outpatients participating in work therapy with or without cognitive remediation. Memory and executive function changes were significant predictors of improved QLS total. Whereas the relationship between memory and QLS total was in the expected direction, with improvements in memory associated with improvements in QLS, the relationship between executive function and QLS was negative, with QLS improvements associated with declines in executive function. Similar patterns were found for individual QLS domains. Finally, there were positive cross-sectional relationships between QLS and hours worked as well as gender (female gender associated with better QLS). Lag models supported these results. Differences between these findings and previous studies are discussed along with functional assessment issues and the potential moderators of the relationship between cognitive change and functioning.

Fiszdon JM, Choi J, Goulet J, Bell MD. VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States. Schizophr Res. 2008 Jul 24.

BACKGROUND: Little information exists on treatment effectiveness in antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). We investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of carrying out a randomized controlled trial of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) in men with ASPD who were aggressive.MethodThis was an exploratory two-centre, randomized controlled trial in a community setting. Fifty-two adult men with a diagnosis of ASPD, with acts of aggression in the 6 months prior to the study, were randomized to either treatment as usual (TAU) plus CBT, or usual treatment alone. Change over 12 months of follow-up was assessed in the occurrence of any act of aggression and also in terms of alcohol misuse, mental state, beliefs and social functioning. RESULTS: The follow-up rate was 79%. At 12 months, both groups reported a decrease in the occurrence of any acts of verbal or physical aggression. Trends in the data, in favour of CBT, were noted for problematic drinking, social functioning and beliefs about others. CONCLUSIONS: CBT did not improve outcomes more than usual treatment for men with ASPD who are aggressive and living in the community in this exploratory study. However, the data suggest that a larger study is required to fully assess the effectiveness of CBT in reducing aggression, alcohol misuse and improving social functioning and view of others. It is feasible to carry out a rigorous randomized controlled trial in this group.

Davidson KM, Tyrer P, Tata P, Cooke D, Gumley A, Ford I, Walker A, Bezlyak V, Seivewright H, Robertson H, Crawford MJ. Faculty of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, Glasgow, UK. Psychol Med. 2008 Jul 30:1-9.

PURPOSE: The aims of the present study were to: (1) examine the rate of Social Phobia among adults who stutter; (2) study the effects of speech restructuring treatment on social anxiety; (3) study the effects on anxiety and stuttering of a CBT package for social anxiety. METHOD: Thirty-two adults with chronic stuttering were randomly allocated to receive either: (1) speech restructuring following a CBT package for social anxiety, or; (2) speech restructuring alone. Data were obtained on a variety of speech and psychological measures at pre-treatment, post- CBT, post- speech restructuring and 12 months follow-up. RESULTS: Sixty percent of our cohort were diagnosed with Social Phobia. Speech restructuring treatment alone had no impact on the Social Phobia of our cohort at 12 months follow-up. At follow-up, participants who had received CBT showed: (1) no Social Phobia; (2) greater improvements than control subjects on a range of psychological measures of anxiety and avoidance. However, the CBT package made no difference to the speech outcomes of those with Social Phobia. CONCLUSIONS: The CBT treatment was associated with significant and sustained improvements in psychological functioning, but did not improve fluency.

Menzies RG, O'Brian S, Onslow M, Packman A, St Clare T, Block S. Australian Stuttering Research Centre, The University of Sydney. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2008 Jul 29.

Flying phobias are common. Mishaps and accidents to aircraft make many travellers apprehensive and fearful of flying, a condition which most overcome by rationalisation and thought blocking, others develop a phobia for flying.This condition responds well to hypnotherapy which can be however be time consuming. Limited session brief, focused, selective hypnotherapy can however cure disabling fear, disturbed conditioned responses and avoidance behaviour.

Vertex. 2007 Jul-Aug;18(74):268-71. Mc Intosh I. St. Ninians Travel Health Research Centre, Stirling, Scotland. iain.mcintosh@virgin.net

This study compares the effectiveness of panic control treatment (PCT) with that of a psychoeducational supportive treatment (PE-SUP) in treating panic disorder among a veteran sample with a primary diagnosis of chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Thirty-five patients randomized to receive 10 individual sessions of either PCT or PE-SUP underwent assessments at pretreatment, at 1-week posttreatment, and at a 3-month follow-up. Intent-to-treat analyses of covariance showed that PCT participants significantly improved on panic severity at posttreatment and panic fear at the 3-month follow-up. The PCT group also showed significant reductions in anxiety sensitivity at posttreatment and follow-up compared with that of the PE-SUP group. A significantly higher proportion of persons (63%) in the PCT group was panic free by the follow-up period compared with that of the PE-SUP group (19%). Patient self-report and clinician ratings showed no changes in general anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms in either group. These findings indicated that PCT was superior to an active control therapy in reducing the frequency, severity, and distress associated with panic disorder and suggested that brief cognitive-behavioral therapy for panic is effective for persons with chronic PTSD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved).

Teng EJ, Bailey SD, Chaison AD, Petersen NJ, Hamilton JD, Dunn NJ. Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2008 Aug;76(4):704-10.

Dysfunction of the frontal-subcortical circuits has been the most common finding in the pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and recent neuropsychological studies have shown cognitive impairments in OCD. To clarify the pathophysiology of OCD without the confounding effects of medication, we investigated the alterations of brain function in OCD patients and changes after clinical improvement due solely to behavior therapy. The participants were 11 outpatients with OCD and 19 normal controls. The patients received 12 weeks of behavior therapy. We investigated the differences in the behavioral performance and functional magnetic resonance imaging results during the Stroop test in the patients and normal controls, and their changes after treatment in the patients. The patients showed less activation in the anterior cingulate gyrus and cerebellum than control subjects. Following significant improvement in OC symptoms, the cerebellum and parietal lobe showed increased activation, and the orbitofrontal cortex, middle frontal gyrus, and temporal regions showed decreased activation during the Stroop task, and performance of the task itself improved. Our findings suggest that dysfunction of the posterior brain regions, especially the cerebellum, is involved in the pathogenesis of OCD, and that normalization in function can occur with improvement of OC symptoms.

Nabeyama M, Nakagawa A, Yoshiura T, Nakao T, Nakatani E, Togao O, Yoshizato C, Yoshioka K, Tomita M, Kanba S. Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. Psychiatry Res. 2008 Jul 28.

Mirror neuron system (MNS) represents one of the most important discoveries of cognitive neuroscience in the past decade, and it has been found to involve in multiple aspects of brain functions including action understanding, imitation, language understanding, empathy, action prediction and speech evolution. This manuscript reviewed the function of MNS in action understanding as well as language evolution, and specifically assessed its roles as the bridge from body language to fluent speeches. Then we discussed the speech defects of autism patients due to the disruption of MNS. Finally, given that MNS is plastic in adult brain, we proposed MNS targeted therapy provides an efficient rehabilitation approach for brain damages conditions as well as autism patients.

Chen W, Yuan TF. Department of Psychology; Institute of Cognition and Behavioral Neuroscience, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310018, China; Department of Anatomy, The University of Hong Kong, Li Kai Shing Faculty of Medicine, Hong Kong; E-mail: yuantf@hku.hk. Neurosci Bull. 2008 Aug;24(4):259-64.

We report on 34 patients with abnormal body movements (AMs; 11 females, 23 males; mean age 10 y 1 mo, range 3 y 6 mo-15 y 11 mo). Twenty-three of the 34 patients had an organic movement disorder (OMD), five patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of documented psychogenic movement disorder (PMD), and six patients displayed probable or possible PMD. Diagnosis of children with OMD included essential tremor (n=7), Tourette syndrome (n=5), primary dystonia (n=2), chronic motor tics (n=2), viral cerebellar ataxia (n=2), drug-induced ataxia (n=1), thyrotoxicosis related tremor (n=1), autosomal inherited dystonia (n=1), poststreptococcal chorea (n=1), and benign head tremor (n=1). Consistent findings among patients with PMD included disappearance of AMs when the patients thought they were not being observed and satisfactory recovery from the AMs after psychotherapy or suggestion. Reduction of the movements when the patient was distracted and variability of AMs during full relaxation, sleep, and stress were reported among patients with both PMD and OMD.

Ahmed MA, Martinez A, Yee A, Cahill D, Besag FM. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2008 Apr;50(4):300-4. Paediatric Department, King George Hospital, Goodmayes, Ilford, Essex, UK. mas.ahmed@bhrhospitals.nhs.uk

This study explored the psychometric properties and utility of the exposure hierarchy as a measure of treatment outcome for social anxiety disorder (SAD). An exposure hierarchy was created for each of 103 individuals with a diagnosis of SAD who completed a course of cognitive behavioral group therapy. Exposure hierarchy ratings were collected on a weekly basis, and a series of self-report measures were collected before and after treatment. Results indicated that the exposure hierarchy demonstrated high test-retest reliability, as well as significant convergent validity, as participants' exposure hierarchy ratings correlated positively with scores on conceptually related measures. Hierarchy ratings were significantly associated with changes in SAD symptoms over time. However, exposure hierarchy ratings were correlated to general measures of psychopathology, suggesting limited discriminant validity. The study highlights the clinical and scientific utility of the exposure hierarchy.

Behav Modif. 2008 Jul;32(4): Katerelos M, Hawley LL, Antony MM, McCabe RE. Anxiety Treatment and Research Centre, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Canada.

Neurostimulation to restore cognitive and physical functions is an innovative and promising technique for treating patients with severe brain injury that has resulted in a minimally conscious state (MCS). The technique may involve electrical stimulation of the central thalamus, which has extensive projections to the cerebral cortex. Yet it is unclear whether an improvement in neurological functions would result in a net benefit for these patients. Quality-of-life measurements would be necessary to determine whether any benefit of neurostimulation outweighed any harm in their response to different degrees of cognitive and physical disability. These measures could also indicate whether the technique could be ethically justified and whether surrogates could give proxy consent to its use on brain-injured patients.

Bioethics. 2008 Jul;22(6) Glannon W. University of Calgary - Philosophy, Social Sciences, 1226 2500 University Dr., NW Calgary Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada. wglannon@ucalgary.ca

This randomized pilot study investigated the effects of meditation with yoga (and psychoeducation) versus group therapy with hypnosis (and psychoeducation) versus psychoeducation alone on diagnostic status and symptom levels among 46 individuals with long-term depressive disorders. Results indicate that significantly more meditation group participants experienced a remission than did controls at 9-month follow-up. Eight hypnosis group participants also experienced a remission, but the difference from controls was not statistically significant. Three control participants, but no meditation or hypnosis participants, developed a new depressive episode during the study, though this difference did not reach statistical significance in any case. Although all groups reported some reduction in symptom levels, they did not differ significantly in that outcome. Overall, these results suggest that these two interventions show promise for treating low- to moderate-level depression. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 64(7): 1-15, 2008.

J Clin Psychol. 2008 Jul;64(7):806-20. Butler LD, Waelde LC, Hastings TA, Chen XH, Symons B, Marshall J, Kaufman A, Nagy TF, Blasey CM, Seibert EO, Spiegel D. Stanford University School of Medicine.

Background

There are no published data on national lifetime prevalence and treatment of mental disorders in the Arab region. Furthermore, the effect of war on first onset of disorders has not been addressed previously on a national level, especially in the Arab region. Thus, the current study aims at investigating the lifetime prevalence, treatment, age of onset of mental disorders, and their relationship to war in Lebanon.

[More]

The purpose of this study was to describe the use of hypnotic suggestion as a means of precipitating nonepileptic events in children while they are undergoing video electroencephalographic monitoring (VEEG) for differential diagnosis of seizurelike behavior. METHODS: Nine children aged 8-16 years were referred for VEEG to differentiate between epileptic seizures and nonepileptic events. All subjects underwent psychiatric consultation. Hypnosis was attempted in all subjects to try to provoke typical seizurelike events. RESULTS: In eight of nine patients, their typical seizurelike events were provoked by hypnosis. In all eight children, video and EEG analysis of the provoked events demonstrated them to be nonepileptic. No epileptiform abnormalities were present on interictal EEGs. No epileptic seizures occurred. CONCLUSION: Hypnosis is a useful and ethical means of provoking psychogenic nonepileptic events in children. Hypnotic suggestion should be considered as a provocative method when possibly psychogenic nonepileptic events have not occurred spontaneously during diagnostic evaluation.

Epilepsy Behav. 2008 Apr;12(3):456-9. Epub 2008 Jan 14. Olson DM, Howard N, Shaw RJ. Department of Neurology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.

As a therapist I consider not only the how the memory (or gestalt) was encoded during a Initial Sensitizing Event (ISE), but what effect that the event had and has on the person both physiologically and mentally. If the event is traumatic enough to cause stress, the fight and flight defense mechanism will lead to increased cortisol flow, IL-6 fluctuations, and eventual adrenal fatigue. Mentally/Neurologically, dominant "brain maps" may be created, which perpetuate an overactive anterior cingulate (ACG), result in a continual looping (such as in PSTD) and create further mental dysfunction as the ACG will compete for energy resources (hemoglobin and oxygen, specifically).

[More]

Several papers of interest for researchers and clinicians have recently appeared in scientific medical literature evaluating hypnosis' efficacy in managing patients' distress and pain during surgical procedures. In this article, following a pilot study, the authors describe the context and standardized induction procedures that they are using in an ongoing clinical trial evaluating the effect of hypnosis on acute pain and anxiety during termination of pregnancy.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2008 Apr;56(2):214-28. Marc I, Rainville P, Dodin S. Laval University, Québec City, Canada.

Buddhist psychology is increasingly informing psychotherapeutic practice in the western world. This article: (a) provides a general background to Buddhist tradition; (b) outlines the central tenets of Buddhist psychology, with particular emphasis on the practice of meditation; (c) provides an overview of research into the effects of Buddhist practice on the brain; (d) outlines the relationships between Buddhist psychology and existing forms of psychotherapy; (e) provides an overview of Buddhist approaches to specific psychiatric disorders and the psychological aspects of physical disorders; and (f) discusses the emergence of Buddhist psychotherapy in western societies and explores likely future developments. There is a need for further research into the neuroscientific correlates of Buddhist concepts of mind and the evidence-base for the use of specific techniques (e.g., meditation) in psychotherapeutic practice.

Transcult Psychiatry. 2008 Mar;45(1):5-30. Kelly BD. University College Dublin. brendankelly35@gmail.com.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an Ericksonian approach to therapy using hypnosis (ET) was as effective as brief dynamic therapy (BDT), a long-standing and well-researched form of psychotherapy. The study used a comparative pretest/posttest design with four paper and pencil tests [Clark Personal and Social Adjustment Scale (CPSAS), Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL), Target Complaint (TC), and Global Improvement (GI)] and six therapy sessions. The investigators attempted to choose design features that would not interfere with the unique qualities of ET while maintaining empirical regularity. No statistically significant difference was found except on HSCL where ET was superior. An interesting finding was that without direct discussion of the target complaint, ET brought about the same improvement on targeted problems as BDT. ET subjects reported gaining understanding of their problems as much as BDT subjects, but from a different source. The results of this study are a step toward empirical confirmation of ET as an evidence-based treatment alternative for psychotherapy.

Am J Clin Hypn. 2008 Jan;50(3):217-32.Links Simpkins CA, Simpkins AM. AMCAS123@aol.com

To review the evidence for the effectiveness of complementary and self-help treatments for anxiety disorders and situational anxiety in children and adolescents. DATA SOURCES: Systematic literature search using PubMed, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library for 111 treatments up to February 2006. STUDY SELECTION: There were 11 treatments for which intervention studies had been undertaken and reported. DATA EXTRACTION: Studies on each treatment were reviewed by one author and checked by a second. A consensus was reached for level of evidence. DATA SYNTHESIS: Relevant evidence was available for bibliotherapy, dance and movement therapy, distraction techniques, humour, massage, melatonin, relaxation training, autogenic training, avoiding marijuana, a mineral-vitamin supplement (EMPower +) and music therapy. Findings from case-control studies, individual cohort studies or low quality randomised controlled trials indicated that several treatments may have potential to reduce anxiety, including bibliotherapy, massage, melatonin, and relaxation training. CONCLUSIONS: Although some complementary and self-help treatments might be useful for children and adolescents with anxiety, they need to be tested adequately through randomised controlled trials before they could be recommended.

Med J Aust. 2008 Mar 17;188(6):355-9. Parslow R, Morgan AJ, Allen NB, Jorm AF, O'Donnell CP, Purcell R. Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. rparslow@unimelb.edu.au.

Chaotic transitions emerge in a wide variety of cognitive phenomena and may possibly be linked to specific changes during development of mental disorders. There are several hypotheses that link the dissociation to critical chaotic shifts with the resulting self-organization of behavioral patterns during critical periods. In 2 patients, hypnotic revivification of dissociated trauma along with measurement of bilateral electrodermal activity (EDA) for therapeutic and research purposes was performed. Nonlinear data analysis of EDA records shows a difference between degree of chaos in hypnotic relaxed state before revivification of the trauma and dissociated state after reliving the traumatic memory. Results suggest that the dissociated state after revivification of the trauma is significantly more chaotic than the state during the hypnotic relaxation before the event. Findings of this study suggest a possible role of neural chaos in the processing of the dissociated traumatic memory during hypnotic revivification.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2007 Oct;55(4):435-56. Bob P. Department of Psychiatry, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. petrbob@netscape.net

The more user friendly medical hypnosis can be, the more readily it will be accepted by patients and the medical community. Hypnosis is user friendly when it is simple to employ, and yields rapid, effective, and clinically significant results. Thus, we should define reasons for the effectiveness of such successful hypnosis methods, and provide this information to students of hypnosis. Some of the elements that may permit hypnosis to be user friendly are establishment of rapport, a belief that a symptom often has a functional role, and a flexible approach to the hypnosis encounter. This case report of a child with habit cough, illustrates the importance of these elements.

Am J Clin Hypn. 2007 Oct;50(2):171-5. Anbar RD. SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA. anbarr@upstate.edu

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an Ericksonian approach to therapy using hypnosis (ET) was as effective as brief dynamic therapy (BDT), a long-standing and well-researched form of psychotherapy. The study used a comparative pretest/posttest design with four paper and pencil tests [Clark Personal and Social Adjustment Scale (CPSAS), Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL), Target Complaint (TC), and Global Improvement (GI)] and six therapy sessions. The investigators attempted to choose design features that would not interfere with the unique qualities of ET while maintaining empirical regularity. No statistically significant difference was found except on HSCL where ET was superior. An interesting finding was that without direct discussion of the target complaint, ET brought about the same improvement on targeted problems as BDT. ET subjects reported gaining understanding of their problems as much as BDT subjects, but from a different source. The results of this study are a step toward empirical confirmation of ET as an evidence-based treatment alternative for psychotherapy.

Am J Clin Hypn. 2008 Jan;50(3):217-32. Simpkins CA, Simpkins AM. AMCAS123@aol.com

The purpose of this study was to describe the use of hypnotic suggestion as a means of precipitating nonepileptic events in children while they are undergoing video electroencephalographic monitoring (VEEG) for differential diagnosis of seizurelike behavior. METHODS: Nine children aged 8-16 years were referred for VEEG to differentiate between epileptic seizures and nonepileptic events. All subjects underwent psychiatric consultation. Hypnosis was attempted in all subjects to try to provoke typical seizurelike events. RESULTS: In eight of nine patients, their typical seizurelike events were provoked by hypnosis. In all eight children, video and EEG analysis of the provoked events demonstrated them to be nonepileptic. No epileptiform abnormalities were present on interictal EEGs. No epileptic seizures occurred. CONCLUSION: Hypnosis is a useful and ethical means of provoking psychogenic nonepileptic events in children. Hypnotic suggestion should be considered as a provocative method when possibly psychogenic nonepileptic events have not occurred spontaneously during diagnostic evaluation.

Epilepsy Behav. 2008 Jan 11 Olson DM, Howard N, Shaw RJ. Department of Neurology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.

This study involves a replication and extension of a previous one reported by Hurwitz et al (1991) on the treatment of certain parasomnias with hypnosis.

METHODS: Thirty-six patients (17 females), mean age 32.7 years (range 6-71). Four were children aged 6 to 16. All had chronic, "functionally autonomous" (self-sustaining) parasomnias. All underwent 1 or 2 hypnotherapy sessions and were then followed by questionnaire for 5 years. RESULTS: Of the 36 patients, 45.4% were symptom-free or at least much improved at the 1-month follow-up, 42.2% at the 18-month follow-up, and 40.5% at the 5-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: One or 2 sessions of hypnotherapy might be an efficient first-line therapy for patients with certain types of parasomnias.

J Clin Sleep Med. 2007 Jun 15;3(4):369-73. Hauri PJ, Silber MH, Boeve BF. Sleep Disorders Center, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. hauri.peter@mayo.edu

by Wil Horton, Psy. D. CAC CMI

As I was thinking about what to write for this article, I received a phone call from a rather distraught young man. He was quite upset that he had to leave his job as an iron worker because he was having severe panic attacks whenever he went above a couple of stories. As I gathered information, I found that he had avoided jobs for a couple of years that would require heights. As we made an appointment, I knew that he would need a Phobia relief technique, and I could use this as a teaching tool for this article.

[More]

by Daniel J. Benor, M.D.

I am a frustrated psychiatrist. I trained back in the years when psychiatry was all psychotherapy. I continue to have a passion to help people deal with their problems through talking therapy – but Psychiatry has changed over the years into being only focused on prescribing medications. To maintain my own sanity, and to be able to continue to help people who came to me with the sorts of problems described below, I develop WHEE. WHEE is a potent, new, self-healing method that relieves stress and distress within minutes. Once you know this method, you can de-stress any time you want to. Its effects are deep and permanent.

[More]

INTRODUCTION: Despite current research interest in delusional beliefs, there are no viable models for studying delusions in the laboratory. However, hypnosis offers a technique for creating transient delusions that are resistant to challenge. The aim of this study was to develop an hypnotic analogue of one important delusion, mirrored-self misidentification. METHODS: Twelve high hypnotisable participants received an hypnotic suggestion to see either a stranger in the mirror, a mirror as a window, or a mirror as a window with a view to a stranger. Participants' deluded beliefs were challenged, and following hypnosis, Sheehan and McConkey's (1982) Experiential Analysis Technique was used to explore participants' phenomenological experience of the delusion. RESULTS: The majority of participants did not recognise their reflection in the mirror, described the person in the mirror as having different physical characteristics to themselves, and maintained their delusion when challenged. CONCLUSIONS: The hypnotic suggestion created a credible, compelling delusion with features strikingly similar to clinical cases of mirrored-self misidentification. Our findings suggest that Factor 2 within Langdon and Coltheart's (2000) two-factor framework may involve a lowering of the criteria used to accept or reject delusional hypotheses.

Cognit Neuropsychiatry. 2008 Sep;13(5):406-30. Barnier AJ, Cox RE, O'Connor A, Coltheart M, Langdon R, Breen N, Turner M. Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. abarnier@maccs.mq.edu.au

Hypnosis has been commonly recognized as an effective intervention in the treatment of obsessions, compulsions, and addictions. It may not be for the reasons that we normally think. Too often efficacious findings are coupled with head scratching admissions pertaining to the lack of understanding of the causality. Modern findings and recent discoveries by neuroscientists may open the door for understanding the relationship between hypnosis and the treatment of addictions. Suggestions of relaxation and slow, calm breathing as promoted by hypnosis, meditation, and yoga are significant factors in the treatment of addictions.

[More]

by Brian Walsh, Ph.D.

What is most challenging for you in the time leading up to the year-end festivities? Is it shopping, or social obligations, or preparing large meals, or maybe just too much to do and so little time to do it? Well, I'm here to dish out a few bits of advice that may seem a bit odd at first, but please bear with me.

[More]