Key result
Hypnotic suggestion reduced craving in active smokers with high levels of hypnotic susceptibility, but did not modify attention on classic or smoking Stroop tasks.
Why the study?
Novel smoking cessation interventions targeting craving and cognitive processes like attentional bias to smoking cues are needed, and hypnotic suggestion may be effective.
Does hypnotic suggestion reduce craving and modify attention in active smokers?
Does hypnotic suggestion reduce craving and modify attention in active smokers?
Hypnotic suggestion may be effective in reducing cigarette craving among highly susceptible individuals, though it does not appear to modify attentional bias.
Does not support clinical use of hypnotic suggestion for smoking; leaves open susceptibility-specific effects for targeted trials.
Cigarette smoking remains an important public health concern, and novel smoking cessation interventions are needed. Craving for cigarettes is a well-established target for intervention. Recent research has identified cognitive processes associated with craving, such as attentional bias to smoking cues, as targets for intervention. One intervention that may be effective in reducing attentional bias is hypnotic suggestion. Using a counterbalanced within-subjects design in a sample of active smokers (N = 33), this laboratory study examined if hypnotic suggestion can modify attention, assessed by the classic and smoking Stroop tasks, and craving. Hypnotic susceptibility was assessed using the Stanford Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility. There was no evidence that hypnotic susceptibility moderated the effect of hypnotic suggestion on the classic or smoking Stroop effects. However, hypnotic susceptibility did moderate the effect of hypnotic suggestion on craving, such that hypnotic suggestion reduced craving in individuals with high levels of susceptibility. Further research into the mechanisms by which hypnotic suggestion reduces craving is warranted.
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Bollinger et al. (2019) studied Active smokers (n=33). Hypnotic suggestion vs. Within-subjects control was evaluated on Attention (classic and smoking Stroop tasks) and craving. Hypnotic suggestion reduced craving in active smokers with high levels of hypnotic susceptibility, but did not modify attention on classic or smoking Stroop tasks.
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