A Tape-Recorded Test of Hypnotic Susceptibility for Screening Headache Patients: A Feasibility Study of the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A

A study to examine the feasibility of using the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (HGSHS) as a screening instrument was undertaken at an inpatient headache treatment program. Nine patients diagnosed with chronic daily headache and drug rebound were administered the HGSHS. Analysis of the results showed no significant difference in hypnotic susceptibility when headache patients were compared to a control group. After taking the HGSHS, three of the five subjects who had headache at the time of testing reported a 25% reduction in pain, one was unchanged, and one reported a 13% increase in pain. The results obtained did not suggest a correlation between level of hypnotic susceptibility and reduction of headache.