NCJ Number
116808
Journal
Journal of Offender Counseling, Services & Rehabilitation Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: (1988) Pages: 175-181
Date Published
1988
Length
7 pages
Annotation
Hypnotherapy with age regression was incorporated into a cognitive therapeutic approach with prison inmates having a documented history of anger.
Abstract
Inmates of an Ohio correctional facility participated in a weekly group therapy session that lasted 10 weeks. Group objectives included an understanding of anger, the sharing of feelings and experiences, and attempts to isolate individual causes of hostility. Eight inmates completed the group session, while four other inmates were either transferred to other institutions or were unavailable for therapy. Of the eight inmates, four agreed to hypnosis. The first individual therapy session introduced the inmates to hypnosis. Hypnosis with age regression was then conducted during the second individual therapy session. In all cases, hypnosis was induced using eye fixation method, with deepening as needed through visualization. The age to which inmates regressed varied from 9 months to 10 years of age. They were instructed to experience the event, allowing emotions to be expressed. Later they were instructed to re-experience the event but to reorient the event the way it should have happened. Results showed a decrease in acting out behavior within the prison setting and concomitant decrease in self-reports of angry feelings. Underlying conflict was identifiable after hypnosis, indicating that the release of emotions associated with an original event, with cognitive event reorientation, reduces the need for future expressions of violence. 15 references. (Author abstract modified)