Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Stress Management for Depression, Anxiety, Cognitive Emotion Regulation, and Quality of Life in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Quasi-experimental Study

Abstract

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms increase with aggravating psychological factors such as anxiety, mood disorders, depression, and stress caused by nerve stimulation. Effective psychotherapy-based interventions are essential for medical conditions and chronic diseases. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral stress management (CBSM) for depression, anxiety, cognitive emotion regulation (CER), and quality of life (QoL) in IBS patients. Methods: This quasi-experimental study utilized a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population comprised all IBS patients visiting Be'sat Gastroenterology Specialist Clinic of Tehran in 2019. A sample of 50 patients was selected and randomly divided into intervention (CBSM, n = 25) and control (n = 25) groups. The experimental group underwent eight sessions (90-minute sessions per week) of CBSM, and the control group did not receive any intervention. The research instruments included the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the SF-36 Questionnaire (SF-36), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to analyze data. Results: The participants included 50 IBS patients aged 36.39 ± 7.45 years. The mean posttest scores for depression and anxiety were 24.70 ± 2.34 and 23.80 ± 2.88 in the experimental group and 29.73 ± 2.76 and 29.43 ± 2.77 in the control groups, respectively. The mean posttest score of QoL in the experimental group was 105.93 ± 7.85, which was significantly different from the control group score (92.03 ± 8.39). The CBSM was effective in reducing negative mood (depression and anxiety) and CER and improving QoL of IBS patients (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The CBSM is a practical therapeutic approach to increase QoL and reduce negative mood in IBS patients. Therefore, the CBSM can be used as an effective intervention to improve the QoL of IBS patients.

Psychosocial Factors and Cognitive Distortions Contributing to Self-Reported Quality of Life in Female University Students with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

“…This highlights the importance of addressing these psychosocial factors in the treatment of IBS. Specifically, interventions that target stress reduction, anxiety management, and depression may be effective in reducing cognitive distortions and improving quality of Life in IBS patients (Hofmann & Gómez, 2017;Jafari et al, 2022) Our findings also highlight the importance of addressing psychosocial factors and cognitive distortions in the treatment of IBS. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be an effective treatment approach for IBS, with a focus on reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, and challenging cognitive distortions (Li et al, 2014;Mahvi-Shirazi et al, 2012) Furthermore, interventions that target cognitive biases and distortions may also improve psychological and physical health outcomes in IBS patients (Hunt, 2022;Van Beugen et al, 2014) The present study highlights the importance of addressing psychosocial factors and cognitive distortions in the treatment of IBS.…”

Effects of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

“…For instance, a patient who experiences physical feelings as threats or traumas (i.e., high anxiety sensitivity) will give a response (9). As the anxiety level increases when a patient experiences such feelings, anxietyrelated problems often emerge (10). People with high anxiety sensitivity encounter stressful situations excessively through their feelings and thoughts.…”

Effects of Emotional Schema Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy on Psychological Distress and Cognitive-Behavioral Avoidance in Patients with Bipolar II Disorder

“…Cognitive-behavioral avoidance, another common problem faced by bipolar patients (9), is a defective cognitive, affective, and behavioral system that reinforces the underlying factors of worry and stress and sets the stage for the initiation, exacerbation, and continuation of anxiety disorders (9,10). Mesri et al (11) reported that cognitive avoidance entails different strategies, such as distraction, worry, and thought suppression, that patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia adopt to avoid facing negative thoughts and unwanted problems.…”