Effectiveness of Eight-Session Clinical Hypnosis in Reducing Somatic Symptom Severity Among Psychosomatic Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Controlled Study From Godhra, Gujarat

Abstract

Background: Medically unexplained somatic complaints such as stomach pain, headache and chest tightness with normal investigation reports are very common in primary care in India, with an estimated 30–40% of primary care patients affected. Psychological services remain very limited in the Godhra region of Gujarat, and hypnosis may be useful as a primary or supportive treatment for such psychosomatic patients.

Objective: To examine whether clinical hypnosis reduces somatic symptom severity among psychosomatic patients and whether it can work as a primary or supportive treatment.

Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test control group study was conducted among 300 patients from Godhra city and nearby villages within 10 km, with data collected from January 2024 to January 2025. The experimental group (n = 150) received eight sessions of clinical hypnosis, twice a week for four weeks, along with routine medical treatment; the control group (n = 150) received routine treatment only. Somatic symptom severity was assessed with the PHQ-15 before and after the intervention. Paired and independent t-tests and Cohen’s d were used for analysis, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results: Internal consistency of the PHQ-15 was good (Cronbach’s α = 0.80–0.82). In the experimental group, the mean PHQ-15 score fell from 12.81 (SD 4.11) to 5.92 (SD 2.87), a reduction of 6.89 points (53.7%); t(149) = 32.49, p < 0.01; Cohen’s d = 2.65; 95% CI of the reduction: 6.47–7.31. In the control group, the mean score changed from 12.59 (SD 3.58) to 9.31 (SD 3.48), a reduction of 3.28 points (about 26%); t(149) = 20.79, p = 0.12. The improvement was significantly greater in the experimental group (6.89, SD 2.60) than in the control group (3.28, SD 1.93); t = 13.67, p < 0.01. At post-test, the experimental group scored significantly lower than the control group (5.92 vs. 9.31; mean difference −3.39; t(287.5) = −9.22, p = 0.01). Most participants were aged 36–45 years (32% in both groups), slightly more than half were female (54% and 54.7%) and most were married (84% and 86%).

Conclusion: Hypnosis was associated with a significantly greater reduction in somatic complaints in this Godhra sample and worked well both as a primary and as a supportive method. Larger multi-centric trials are warranted.