[Clinical hypnosis. Current status of theory and empirical aspects].

Hypnosis as a traditional healing method, in its more recent development, has generated a multitude of techniques. These serve as practical tools which can be combined with other therapy techniques for the treatment of medical, psychosomatic and neurotic disorders. Based on 80 group studies (to date) the empirical evidence for the effectiveness of hypnosis is considerable and proves its clinical impact in various areas of application. As a theoretical foundation a number of hypotheses have been formulated, which describe hypnosis as a complex phenomenon with biological, cognitive and social aspects.