Date of Conferral

8-1-2024

Date of Award

August 2024

Degree

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

School

Psychology

Advisor

Sandra Rasmussen

Abstract

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has been defined as one of the most prevalent forms of childhood trauma. Current treatment approaches for adult survivors of CSA often fail to provide timely or sufficient relief, indicating a pressing need for more diverse and innovative therapeutic approaches to achieve optimal recovery. Hypnosis is one treatment method available and has been proven to provide reliable and timely recovery for other complex traumas. The purpose of this study was to gain knowledge on healthcare professionals expressed experiences and treatment of adult CSA survivors, while also exploring their efficacy and usage of clinical hypnotherapy as a treatment approach. Social cognitive theory served as the theoretical foundation for this study. The study was guided by two research questions: the shared experiences of licensed healthcare professionals treating adult survivors of CSA, and the lived experiences and perspectives of licensed healthcare professionals with clinical hypnotherapy in treating adult survivors of CSA. This research study employed a generic qualitative design. One-to-one semi-structured video interviews occurred with a sample of six licensed healthcare professionals. Data analysis employed a five-phase cycle. The findings suggest that many healthcare professionals treating adult CSA survivors lack efficacy on the usage of clinical hypnotherapy. As evidenced by this study, further research and practice are necessary to determine whether clinical hypnotherapy should be more frequently utilized as a treatment approach for adult survivors of CSA. Increased education and exposure to clinical hypnotherapy for healthcare professionals can improve survivors’ recovery experience, thereby contributing to positive social change.

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