The Visceral Sensitivity Index: development and validation of a gastrointestinal symptom‐specific anxiety scale

Labus, Jennifer S.; Bolus, Roger; Chang, Lin; Wiklund, Ingela; Næsdal, J; Mayer, Emeran A.; Naliboff, Bruce D.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2036.2004.02007.x

Cited by 381 publications

(442 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…The present findings on how fear towards innocuous gastrointestinal sensations can come about through an associative learning process is relevant for any gastrointestinal disorder but for FGID in particular, as many of those patients are characterized by excessive distress and fear towards certain types of gastrointestinal sensations 4 . Recently, we have found that associative learning leading to gastrointestinal sensations does not only cause emotional distress, but also alters perceptual thresholds for those gastrointestinal sensations 13 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…Gastrointestinal symptom-specific fear, the apprehension of specific visceral sensations, is one of the most important cognitive-affective processes in this context 4,5 as it is associated with symptom severity and quality of life in FGID, specifically in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 6 . Furthermore, decreases in gastrointestinal symptom-specific fear mediates the effect of exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy on IBS symptoms 7,8 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Learned Fear of Gastrointestinal Sensations in Healthy Adults

Ceunen

Zaman

Weltens

et al. 2016

Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Learned Fear of Gastrointestinal Sensations in Healthy Adults

Ceunen

Zaman

Weltens

et al. 2016

Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology

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“…Visceral Sensitivity Index (VSI) is a reliable, valid measure of gastrointestinal symptom-specific anxiety [100]. It has 15 items assessing anxiety related to gastrointestinal sensations that are rated on a 6- point scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree and takes less than 5 minutes to complete.…”

Section: Primary Outcomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Protocol for a randomized controlled study of Iyengar yoga for youth with irritable bowel syndrome

Evans

Cousins

Tsao

et al. 2011

Trials

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IntroductionIrritable bowel syndrome affects as many as 14% of high school-aged students. Symptoms include discomfort in the abdomen, along with diarrhea and/or constipation and other gastroenterological symptoms that can significantly impact quality of life and daily functioning. Emotional stress appears to exacerbate irritable bowel syndrome symptoms suggesting that mind-body interventions reducing arousal may prove beneficial. For many sufferers, symptoms can be traced to childhood and adolescence, making the early manifestation of irritable bowel syndrome important to understand. The current study will focus on young people aged 14-26 years with irritable bowel syndrome. The study will test the potential benefits of Iyengar yoga on clinical symptoms, psychospiritual functioning and visceral sensitivity. Yoga is thought to bring physical, psychological and spiritual benefits to practitioners and has been associated with reduced stress and pain. Through its focus on restoration and use of props, Iyengar yoga is especially designed to decrease arousal and promote psychospiritual resources in physically compromised individuals. An extensive and standardized teacher-training program support Iyengar yoga's reliability and safety. It is hypothesized that yoga will be feasible with less than 20% attrition; and the yoga group will demonstrate significantly improved outcomes compared to controls, with physiological and psychospiritual mechanisms contributing to improvements.Methods/DesignSixty irritable bowel syndrome patients aged 14-26 will be randomly assigned to a standardized 6-week twice weekly Iyengar yoga group-based program or a wait-list usual care control group. The groups will be compared on the primary clinical outcomes of irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, quality of life and global improvement at post-treatment and 2-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes will include visceral pain sensitivity assessed with a standardized laboratory task (water load task), functional disability and psychospiritual variables including catastrophizing, self-efficacy, mood, acceptance and mindfulness. Mechanisms of action involved in the proposed beneficial effects of yoga upon clinical outcomes will be explored, and include the mediating effects of visceral sensitivity, increased psychospiritual resources, regulated autonomic nervous system responses and regulated hormonal stress response assessed via salivary cortisol.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT01107977.

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“…In a study of 234 patients in which the impact of a variety of physical and psychological variables was investigated, GSA was the most robust predictor of QOL impairment 36 . A validated tool for measuring GSA is the 15-item Visceral Sensitivity Index 15 , which assesses worry, hypervigilance, and heightened focus on GI sensations. Items are rated on a scale from 0 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).…”

Section: Gi-specific Anxiety (Gsa)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although stress also affects gut function in healthy individuals, patients with IBS demonstrate greater stress sensitivity with regard to gut motility, visceral perception, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hormone levels 14 . One central process is GI symptom-specific anxiety, which is regarded as a prominent endogenous stressor that can perpetuate IBS symptoms even in the absence of external stress 15 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Screening for psychosocial factors in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Laird¹,

Lackner²

2022

NGL

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Psychosocial factors play a prominent role in both the onset and expression of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms -particularly among those individuals who consult gastroenterologists. Although many patients with IBS respond to conventional medical or dietary treatment, outcomes are less positive for patients with severe gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and/or significant psychosocial problems. Routine screening of IBS patients attending a GI outpatient clinic can be helpful for identifying those individuals who are less likely to respond to conventional therapy. Practical recommendations for screening procedures and referrals to mental health professionals are discussed.

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The Visceral Sensitivity Index: development and validation of a gastrointestinal symptom‐specific anxiety scale

Cited by 381 publications

References 34 publications

Learned Fear of Gastrointestinal Sensations in Healthy Adults

Learned Fear of Gastrointestinal Sensations in Healthy Adults

Protocol for a randomized controlled study of Iyengar yoga for youth with irritable bowel syndrome

Screening for psychosocial factors in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

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