The results of the adaptation of the Elkins Hypnotizability Scale in translation into Russian

Relevance. To this day, there are no valid and reliable tools for assessing the level of hypnotizability in Russia. Those techniques that are used for these purposes by Russian specialists are not standardized and are not recognized by the world scientific community as psychodiagnostic tools. Meanwhile, English-language science is replete with highly accurate and reliable methods for assessing hypnotizability.

Intention — To adapt into Russian one of the most popular psychodiagnostic tools in the world of psychotherapeutic practice for assessing the level of hypnotizability — the Elkins Hypnotizability Scale (EHS).

Methodology. As part of the current study, the original English version of the EHS was translated and adapted into Russian. It was attended by 105 native Russian speakers (44 men and 61 women), with an average age of 30.2 years. Each of them underwent an individual hypnotic session, according to the EHS protocol. For statistical analysis of the data, non-parametric tests were used: Cronbach’s alpha — to measure the reliability of the scale, the Mann — Whitney U-test to identify differences between hypnotizability groups, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient — to calculate the intercorrelation of the scales.

Results and Discussion. The results of linguistic expertise testify to the high quality of the translation in terms of conveying meaning and style, as well as the correspondence of the translated text to the original. EHS includes the minimum number of hypnotic suggestions needed to perform a highly differentiated assessment and requires only 20 to 30 minutes for diagnosis and data processing. Mathematical analysis of the data confirms that the Russian version of the EHS demonstrates high distinctiveness, good internal consistency and intercorrelation of the scales, and does not contain unnecessary elements.

Conclusion. The adapted version of the EHS is fully suitable for assessing the level of hypnotizability of people who are native speakers of the Russian language.

1. Evtushenko V.G. Jenciklopedija gipnoticheskih tehnik. [Encyclopedia of Hypnotic Techniques]. Moscow. 2005. 400 p. (In Russ.)

2. Platonov K.I. Slovo kak fiziologicheskij i lechebnyj faktor. [The word as a physiological and therapeutic factor]. Moscow. 1957. 431 p. (In Russ.)

3. Elkins G.R., Barabasz A.F., Council J.R., Spiegel D. Advancing research and practice: The revised APA Division 30 definition of hypnosis. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. 2015; 63(1);1–9. DOI: 10.1080/00207144.2014.961870.

4. Elkins G., Johnson A., Fisher W. Cognitive hypnotherapy for pain management. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis. 2012; 54(4):294–310. DOI: 10.1080/00029157.2011.654284.

5. Elkins G.R. Hypnotic relaxation therapy: Principles and applications. N.Y.: Springer. 2014. 253 p.

6. Gill M.M., Brenman M. Hypnosis and related states: Psychoanalytic studies in regression. Int. Univer. Press. 1959. 405 p.

7. Hilgard E.R. Hypnotic Phenomena: The Struggle for Scientific Acceptance: Modern experiments are bringing hypnotic phenomena out of the fringe area of pseudoscience into the domain of normal psychological science. American Scientist. 1971; 59(5):567–577.

8. Kekecs Z., Bowers J., Johnson A. [et al.]. The Elkins hypnotizability scale: Assessment of reliability and validity. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. 2016; 64(3):285–304. DOI: 10.1080/00207144.2016.1171089.

9. Kekecs Z., Roberts L., Na H. [et al.]. Test–Retest Reliability of the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C and the Elkins Hypnotizability Scale. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. 2021; 69(1):142–161. DOI: 10.1080/00207144.2021.1834858.

10. Shor R.E., Orne E.C. Harvard group scale of hypnotic susceptibility, form A // International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. 1962; 1:1–32.

11. Weitzenhoffer A.M., Hilgard E.R. Stanford hypnotic susceptibility scale, form C. CA: Consulting Psychologists Press. 1962. 27 p.

12. Yek M.H., Elkins G.R. Therapeutic use of the Elkins Hypnotizability Scale: A feasibility study. Randomized Controlled Trial. 2021; 69(1):124–141. DOI: 10.1080/00207144.2021.1831390.