title: Brief cognitive-behavioral internet therapy for irritable bowel syndrome.
abstract: While cognitive-behavioral therapy for IBS is quite effective, the limited availability of competent therapists and lack of access to treatment remain problematic. This paper reports on a small, randomized, controlled trial of a five week internet based cognitive-behavioral intervention for IBS with limited therapist feedback via e-mail. Fifty-four IBS patients were recruited via the internet and randomly assigned to either immediate treatment or a wait-list control group. Thirty-one subjects completed the post-treatment assessment. 77% of treatment completers also completed a 3-month follow-up assessment. Treatment completers experienced statistically and clinically significant declines in IBS symptoms and improvements in quality of life. Those gains were substantially maintained at follow-up. Treatment efficacy was partially mediated by reductions in the tendency to catastrophize the social and occupational implications of symptoms, suggesting that catastrophizing may be an important target for treatment.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6241, USA. mhunt@psych.upenn.edu
authors: Melissa G
authors: MG
authors: Hunt
authors: Samantha
authors: S
authors: Moshier
authors: Marina
authors: M
authors: Milonova
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D058443:Catastrophization / Q000523:psychology; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011788:Quality of Life; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*