Hypnotic-oriented counseling for enhancing the quality of life of adolescents with self-injury

Self-injury, often triggered by emotional distress, is linked to a decline in adolescents' quality of life, affecting their emotional, social, and psychological well-being. This study explores the effectiveness of a hypnotic-oriented counseling case series in improving the quality of life of adolescents who engage in self-injury. Using a case series design with A-B-A observational structure, three adolescents identified with self-injury and average levels of quality of life participated in five individual counseling sessions. The sessions focused on releasing negative emotions, fostering positive affect, enhancing interpersonal relationships, and finding meaning in life. Data collected before, during, and after the intervention revealed noticeable improvements in participants' quality of life during the intervention and at a three-week follow-up, indicating positive short-term outcomes. The results show that hypnosis-oriented counseling is a promising approach to reduce self-injurious behavior in the short-term. Further research is recommended to assess its long-term effectiveness in broader and more diverse populations.