Journal of Education and Health Promotion

The effect of hypnosis on perceived stress in women with preeclampsia

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Sedighe Vahdat
. Mahdi Fathi 1
. Zhaleh Feyzi 2
. Mohammad Taghi Shakeri 3
. Mahin Tafazoli 4

1 Department of Anaesthesiology, Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran, 2 Department of Health Psychology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran, Department of Anaesthesiology, Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

2 Department of Health Psychology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

3 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Sinus and Surgical Endoscopic Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

4 Department of Midwifery, Evidence‑Based Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Perceived stress is one of the causes of preeclampsia; one of the ways to manage 
mental stress is hypnosis. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of hypnosis on perceived 
stress in women with preeclampsia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized clinical trial was performed on 80 (40 people in each 
group) pregnant women 28–32 weeks with preeclampsia and hospitalized in two public hospitals in 
Mashhad in 2020. The Cohen Perceived Stress Questionnaire was first completed in two groups. 
Then, in the intervention group, three half‑hour sessions of hypnosis were performed with an interval 
of 3 days (hypnosis consists of three sessions: each session is held for three consecutive nights). 
After each session, the intervention package, which included recording the dialogs of each session 
for posthypnotic suggestion, was delivered to the mothers on a CD to listen to every night before 
bed. The control group received routine care. Then, 2 weeks after the intervention, the Perceived 
Stress Questionnaire was completed by both groups. The results were analyzed by independent 
t‑test, paired t‑test, Mann–Whitney, Chi‑square, Friedman and covariance tests, and by SPSS 16.
RESULTS: At the beginning of the study, there was no statistically significant difference between 
demographic characteristics and the perceived stress score before the intervention between the two 
groups (P > 0.05). However, after the intervention, the mean perceived stress score was a statistically 
significant difference between the intervention and control groups (P = 0.005). Perceived stress after 
the intervention was significantly reduced in the intervention group, which was significant between 
the two groups.
CONCLUSION: Perceived stress in mothers with preeclampsia is reduced by hypnosis.

Keywords

Hypnosis
perceived stress
preeclampsia

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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 12, Issue 3
March 2022
Pages 1-7

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