Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

3-1984

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Psychology

Major Professor

Robert Wahler

Committee Members

Harold Fine, Kenneth Newton, Stephen Krauss

Abstract

This research project involved two studies that investigated the hypothesis that hypnosis is an effective means of controlling post chemotherapy vomiting associated with drugs of moderate to severe emetic potential. All subjects had a diagnosis of osteogenic sarcoma. Study one consisted of four newly diagnosed patients who received five consecutive cis-platinum treatments. Subjects received alternating interventions of hypnosis (H) and counseling (C) sessions the evening prior to four chemotherapy treatments. The first treatment served to establish a baseline measure and therefore was not preceded by an intervention. Two subjects received interventions in an H-C-H-C sequence and two others in a C-H-C-H sequence. The parent and a trained rater kept records of the number of vomiting episodes that occurred during the 48 hour period after the administration of the drug.

The results revealed no significant differences between the treatment effects of hypnosis and counseling during each of the four treatment periods. However, both treatment interventions combined produced significantly fewer vomits than baseline level.

Study two consisted of 14 patients, all of which were on the same medical protocol. The chemotherapy schedule included two consecutive treatments with methotrexate followed by a treatment with cis-platinum. These patients were randomly assigned to either a hypnosis or counseling group. Depending on group assignment each patient received either a hypnosis or counseling session the evening prior to three of their chemotherapy treatments. Following each treatment, the parent and the rater kept records of the number of vomits, in the same manner as described in study one.

The results revealed that both drugs were most noxious during the first 24 hours after treatment and minimally noxious on day two. On day 1 hypnosis produced significantly fewer vomits than counseling but no significant difference was noted for day 2. No significant differences in hypnotizability scores were found between the two groups and there was only minimal evidence to support the notion that the greater the hypnotic ability the more control over the vomiting.

Overall, the results are inconclusive but provide valuable support for the benefits of psychological intervention for cancer patients taking chemotherapy drugs.

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