Hypnotizability, the dissociative experiences scale, HGSHS: A amnesia, and automatic writing: is there an association?

The present study examined whether participants (N = 112) selected on the basis of high and low dissociative ability (Dissociative Experiences Scale [DES]; Bernstein & Putnam, 1986), high and low/simulating hypnotizability (Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A [HGSHS:A]; Shor & Orne, 1962), and past performance on the HGSHS:A amnesia item differentially passed an automatic writing suggestion administered during a follow-up experiment. Results from a loglinear analysis supported a single main effect for hypnotizability. Low hypnotizable, simulating participants were more than six times as likely to pass the automatic writing suggestion than high hypnotizable participants. Results found dissociation status and past performance on an ostensibly dissociative suggestion (i.e., amnesia) to be independent of passing the automatic writing suggestion. Findings are discussed in light of other research regarding the relation between the DES and hypnotizability.