Effectiveness of Cognitive Hypnotherapy in Enhancing Executive Functions of Obese Women: A Clinical Trial

Previous studies have advanced our understanding of the impact of executive functions on eating behavior. Given the considerable evidence of executive dysfunction among obese individuals and the bidirectional relationship between cognition and obesity, it is crucial to include educational components in interventions aimed at enhancing executive functions among obese populations. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive hypnotherapy in improving executive functions among women with obesity.

This clinical trial enrolled 30 obese women who were randomly assigned to either an intervention or control group (n=15). The mean ages of the experimental and control groups, respectively, were 40.80±6.02 and 38.47±7.50 years, while their BMIs (kg/m2) were 33.45±3.50 and 33.12±3.47, and hypnotizability scores were 39.67±5.98 and 37.40±7.09. The intervention group received 12 sessions of 2-hour cognitive hypnotherapy. Data collection instruments included the Stanford Hypnosis Susceptibility Scale (1962), Life Experiences, Interests and Values Checklist (1998), and Cognitive Ability Questionnaire (2013).

The results demonstrated that cognitive hypnotherapy significantly improved executive functions (F=7.02, P≤0.01), including inhibitory control and selective attention (F=2.83, P≤0.05), decision making (F=4.13, P≤0.05), planning (F=3.32, P≤0.05), and sustained attention (F=2.83, P≤0.05) in the intervention group.

Given the relationship between cognitive abilities, eating behaviors, and obesity, and the effectiveness of cognitive hypnotherapy in enhancing executive functions, this approach can be used to enhance cognitive functions among individuals with obesity.