MAY 1999, VOLUME 27, NUMBER 1, Abstract 2
Development of the Group Scale of Hypnotic Ability: A Revision of the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility
Russell M. F. Hawkins, University of South Australia
Lienne Wenzel, University of South Australia
The Group Scale of Hypnotic Ability (GSHA) was developed as a shorter substitute for the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility (HGSHS:A) on which it is based. The revisions include a reduction in the number of items from 12 to 6. The language has also been revised to remove such anachronisms as the term “sleep” in the hypnotic induction and the title has used the term “ability” rather than “susceptibility” to denote a positive connotation to hypnotic responsiveness. Fifty participants received both the HGSHS:A and the GSHA in counterbalanced order. Scores correlated 0.74. The revised scale preserved the factor structure shown to underlie the Harvard Scale. The GSHA is offered as an efficient instrument for screening purposes.