Comparison of long-term effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy versus mindfulness-based therapy on reduction of symptoms among patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to compare the long-term effects of cognitive-behavioral treatment and mindfulness-based treatment on decreasing symptoms of patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).


BACKGROUND
One of the most modern therapies put forward in therapy of IBS is mindfulness-based metacognitive therapy.


METHODS
In this quasi-experimental study, 36 people with mean age of 32 years old, including 24 patients with IBS and 12 healthy normal subjects as control group, were studied. Patients with IBS were randomly divided into two experimental groups of cognitive-behavioral treatment (n=12) and mindfulness-based treatment (n=12). Data were analysed by one-way covariance analysis.


RESULTS
There was significant decrease of the symptoms of IBS among two treatment groups versus control group in long-term (p<0.05). Mindfulness-based therapy was the most effective technique in decreasing symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed mindfulness-based therapy, as a modern psychotherapy technique, is an effective method to decrease symptoms of patients with irritable bowel syndrome, compared with old methods. Therefore, this technique is advised among these patients, especially those who have refractory symptoms.
Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
Saeedeh
S
Zomorodi
Gastroenterology and Liver diseases Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Saeed
S
Abdi
Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
Seyed Kazem Rasulzadeh
SK
Tabatabaee
Cognitive-behavior therapy; Decrease in the symptoms; Iran; Irritable bowel syndrome; Long-term effects; Mindfulness-based therapy