Clinical Report: The Role of Hypnotic Suggestibility in Influencing Treatment Outcomes for Mild to Moderate Depression

Overview

This exploratory analysis investigated the role of hypnotic suggestibility in moderating treatment outcomes for patients with mild to moderate depression. Findings indicated that baseline suggestibility did not significantly influence changes in depressive symptoms across treatment groups.

Background

Hypnotic suggestibility has been proposed as a potential moderator of treatment response in hypnosis-based interventions for depression. Understanding individual characteristics that predict treatment response is crucial, especially given the heterogeneous nature of depression and its impact on patients' lives. Previous studies have shown mixed results regarding the efficacy of hypnosis in treating depressive symptoms, with some studies indicating positive effects while others report limited efficacy.

Data Highlights

Key Findings

• Baseline hypnotic suggestibility was not associated with changes in depressive symptoms in the control group.
• No significant differences in suggestibility effects were observed between hypnosis and PMR groups compared to the control group.
• Post hoc power analysis indicated insufficient group sizes to reliably detect small-to-moderate associations.
• The study included 94 participants with a mean age of 39.2 years, predominantly female (71.3%).

Clinical Implications

Clinicians should consider the limited evidence regarding the role of hypnotic suggestibility in treatment outcomes for depression.

Conclusion

The analysis did not find evidence supporting hypnotic suggestibility as a moderator of treatment outcomes for depression.

Related Resources & Content

1. Frontiers in Medicine, 2026 -- Hypnotic Suggestibility as a Moderator of Treatment Response in Mild to Moderate Depression: An Exploratory Secondary Analysis
2. BMC Psychiatry, 2022 -- Efficacy of hypnotherapy compared to cognitive behavioral therapy for mild to moderate depression - Results of a randomized controlled rater-blind clinical trial
3. NICE, 2026 -- Recommendations | Depression in adults: treatment and management
4. VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline, 2022 -- VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
5. American College of Physicians, 2023 -- Nonpharmacologic and Pharmacologic Treatments of Adults in the Acute Phase of Major Depressive Disorder: A Living Clinical Guideline
6. npj Digital Medicine — Impact of Mobile App-Based Self-Hypnosis on Managing Stress Levels
7. Intensive Care Medicine — Utilizing Hypnotic Suggestions for Enhanced Well-Being in Patients Undergoing Non-Invasive Ventilation in the ICU
8. BMC Psychiatry (Springer) — Comparative Analysis of Data-Driven and Conventional Approaches to Tailored Antidepressant Therapy: A Retrospective Study Utilizing Electronic Health Records
9. conexiant — Psilocybin Trial in Treatment-Resistant Depression Shows Mixed Results
10. Impact of Mobile App-Based Self-Hypnosis on Managing Stress Levels
11. Utilizing Hypnotic Suggestions for Enhanced Well-Being in Patients Undergoing Non-Invasive Ventilation in the ICU
12. Comparative Analysis of Data-Driven and Conventional Approaches to Tailored Antidepressant Therapy
13. Recommendations | Depression in adults: treatment and management | Guidance | NICE
14. VA/DoD_Clinical_Practice_Guideline_for_the_Management_of_Major_Depressive_Disorder_(MDD)
15. Nonpharmacologic and Pharmacologic Treatments of Adults in the Acute Phase of Major Depressive Disorder: A Living Clinical Guideline From the American College of Physicians - PubMed
16. Frontiers | Hypnotic Suggestibility as a Moderator of Treatment Response in Mild to Moderate Depression: An Exploratory Secondary Analysis
17. Efficacy of hypnotherapy compared to cognitive behavioral therapy for mild to moderate depression - Results of a randomized controlled rater-blind clinical trial
18. Ericksonian Hypnotherapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of RCTs | MDPI
19. Hypnotherapy for major depressive disorder: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials | medRxiv
20. Stanford Hypnosis Integrated with Functional Connectivity-targeted Transcranial Stimulation (SHIFT): a preregistered randomized controlled trial | Nature Mental Health