ABSTRACT
Although these findings are true in terms of group comparisons, individual differences, of course, exist. Advantages to children who learn these methods of self-regulating pain include enhancement of self-confidence, personal participation in the therapeutic process, reduction of side effects, and increased ability to participate in normal daily activities. Articles report successful use of self-hypnosis techniques by children with a variety of chronic illnesses or recurrent pain, including malignancies, hemophilia, diabetes, sickle cell disease, abdominal pain, cystic fibrosis, migraines, and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (Anbar 2001; Barnes & Kohen, 2006; Dahlquist, Gil, Armstrong, Ginsburg, & Jones, 1985; Dinges, Whitehouse, Orne et al., 1997; Erickson, 1991; Gerik, 2005; Kohen & Zajac, 2007; Olness, 1985a; Olness & MacDonald, 1987; Russo & Varni, 1982; Varni & Gilbert, 1982; Varni, Katz, & Dash, 1982; Vlieger, Menko-Frankenhuis, Wolfkamp, Tromp, & Benninga, 2007; Zeltzer, Dash, & Holland, 1979).
