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Background & Aim: IBS is a gastrointestinal disease with chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits in the absence of any detectable organic cause. This study was done to assess the effectiveness of cognitive - behavioral stress management courses on the symptoms of the disease in patients referring to Yasouj gastrointestinal diseases clinic. Methods: A controlled randomized clinical trial was conducted on 42 patients with irritable bowel syndrome referring to Yasouj gastrointestinal diseases clinic in 2010. The participants were randomly assigned to intervention (21 patients) and control (n=21) groups. After performing a pre-test, using frequency and intensity of intestinal symptoms, the required data were gathered using BSS-FS, quality of life in irritable bowel patients (IBS-QOL-34) and Beck Depression and Anxiety Questionnaires. Conventional treatment along with cognitive-behavioral stress management was conducted within 8 weeks in the intervention group. The control group received only routine treatment regimes. After two months, a post- test was taken with the same measures. Covariance analysis and dependent t-test was conducted to analyze the data. Results: cognitive-behavioral stress management significantly reduced IBS symptoms in patients in the intervention group (p=0.001). Conclusion: This study showed that combination of drug therapy along with psychological interventions can reduce severity and frequency of symptoms in IBD patients and effectively helps them to improve their quality of life. :

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Background & aim: Psychological flexibility is a major component of health-related behaviors and refers to ability to get in touch with the present moment and insist on behavior modification in line with personal values. The purpose of this study was to comparing psychological flexibility in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and normal control group.
 
Methods: In a case-control study 61 patients with irritable bowel syndrome which were referred to gastroenterologist in Boroujerd, were selected via convenience sampling and compared with normal control group in psychological flexibility. Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ), Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) and Meaningful Live Questionnaire (MLQ) were used as research tools. Independent t test was used for data analysis. 
 
Results: The results showed that the difference between the two groups in terms of acceptance (p <0.006), mind-consciousness (p <0.001) and life based on internal values (p <0.006) is significant, as the band syndrome irritable bowel compared to the normal group received lower scores. In cognitive fusion (P <0.014) difference between two group was significant, so that the patient group achieved the higher scores. Both this findings mean lower psychological flexibility in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome.  
 
Conclusions: According to this study, patients with irritable bowel syndrome had lower levels of psychological flexibility than normal group and it can effective in initiating or exacerbating their symptoms.