Hypnotic susceptibility in old age: Some data from residential homes for old people

Abstract

A sample of 55 old people, 21 men and 34 women, aged 62 through 94 (x = 80.5), living in 3 residential homes, were teeted with a Swedish translation of the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form A. Mean SHSS:A more was 3.43 (SB. = 3.54). The most difficult items were verbal inhibition, eye catalepsy, and posthypnotic suggestion. There were no Significant differences in hypnotizability between sexes or between age group though there is a marked decline in the group 85 years and older. The low hypnotic susceptibfity mean is in agreement with the findings of others with regard to a gradual decline in hypnotizability with increasing age.