Tomé-Pires, C., & Miró, J. (2012). Hypnosis for the management of chronic and cancer procedure-related pain in children. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 60, 432–457.

STUDY PURPOSE: To review published trials of hypnotic treatments for children with chronic and cancer-related pain

TYPE OF STUDY: Systematic review

DATABASES USED: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Collaboration

KEYWORDS: Children, hypnosis, pain

INCLUSION CRITERIA: RCT; patients 18 years old or younger; Catalan, English, French, Portuguese, or Spanish languages; included patients with chronic pain or cancer procedure-related pain

EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Abstracts only, not published in full in peer-reviewed journals

TOTAL REFERENCES RETRIEVED: 81

EVALUATION METHOD AND COMMENTS ON LITERATURE USED: No study quality evaluation reported

• FINAL NUMBER STUDIES INCLUDED = 12 (10 in cancer)
• SAMPLE RANGE ACROSS STUDIES: 20–80
• TOTAL PATIENTS INCLUDED IN REVIEW: Total in cancer studies = 394
• KEY SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS: Procedures involved were bone marrow aspiration, LP, or venipuncture

PHASE OF CARE: Multiple phases of care     

APPLICATIONS: Pediatrics

All studies in children with cancer were related to acute procedure-related pain and anxiety. Hypnotic interventions were better at reducing pain than no treatment, standard care, placebo, and attention control. Compared to other psychological treatments, hypnosis had about the same effectiveness as cognitive behavioral therapy. Comparison of hypnosis to distraction showed mixed results. Younger patients had significantly better responses to hypnosis. Parents of those receiving hypnosis had lower anxiety. Results of hypnosis on anxiety were mixed. One study showed similar effects between hypnosis and play. Calculated effect sizes with hypnosis showed decrease in pain of 20%–80%. In four studies that included follow up at 3–12 months, therapeutic effects appeared to be long-lasting.

Hypnosis is effective in reducing acute procedure-related pain among children with cancer.

Studies tended to have small samples, and many of these studies were done by the same group of researchers.

Findings of this systematic review support the use of hypnosis in children undergoing invasive procedures for reduction in pain. Nurses can advocate for availability of this intervention in pediatric settings.