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Self-hypnosis and meditation for stress management: a brief communication.

D A Soskis, E C Orne, M T Orne, D F Dinges

International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis October 1989 DOI: 10.1080/00207148908414483 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Follow-up study (telephone interviews) Peer reviewed
Sample size 31
Population Male executives who had been taught a self-hypnosis or meditation exercise in a stress-management program
Interventions self-hypnosis meditation
Duration 6-month follow-up
Topics Meditation
Key points Use of self-hypnosis and meditation was similar and fell from 90% to 42% over six months. Participants used the exercises mainly for physical relaxation, mental breaks, sleep onset, and stress reduction. The chief problems reported were difficulty scheduling uninterrupted practice time and discomfort with the techniques; the authors suggest incorporating these issues into clinical teaching of self-hypnosis.

Abstract

In a 6-month follow-up study, telephone interviews were conducted with 31 male executives who were taught either a self-hypnosis or meditation exercise as part of a stress-management program. Use of and problems with the 2 exercises were similar, with the percentage of Ss using the techniques falling over 6 months from 90% to 42%. The exercises were used primarily for physical relaxation, refreshing mental interludes, aiding sleep onset, and stress-reduction. Problems with the exercises chiefly involved difficulty in scheduling even brief uninterrupted practice times and discomfort with the techniques. The incorporation of these issues into the clinical teaching of self-hypnosis may be useful.

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