The hypnotic dreams of healthy children and children with cancer: a quantitative and qualitative analysis.
S LeBaron, D Fanurik, L K Zeltzer
International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis October 1, 2001 DOI: 10.1080/00207140108410080 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 99 |
| Population | 52 healthy children and 47 children and adolescents with cancer |
| Measures | Stanford Hypnotic Clinical Scale for Children |
| Keywords | Humans Neoplasms Hypnosis Dreams Child Female |
| Key findings | Hypnotizability scores were similar between children with cancer and healthy children, but children with cancer reported more pleasant than unpleasant fantasy in hypnotic dreams and tended to give less detailed, less fantastical dream reports. Rescoring the dream item by fantasy and detail lowered pass rates, especially for children with cancer. Older children showed more self-involvement in hypnotic dreams than younger children, regardless of health status. |
Abstract
In this study, the Stanford Hypnotic Clinical Scale for Children was administered to 52 healthy children and 47 children and adolescents with cancer. Responses to the dream item of this scale were analyzed for the type and detail of imagery. The hypnotizability scores of both groups were similar. However, children with cancer reported more pleasant than unpleasant fantasy in their hypnotic dreams, and their dream reports tended to contain less fantasy and detail overall. Rescoring the dream item based on extent of fantasy and detail resulted in a lower pass rate for that item, especially for children with cancer. Regardless of health status, older children experienced more self-involvement in their hypnotic dreams compared to younger children.