title: Healing Words: Using Affect Labeling to Reduce the Effects of Unpleasant Cues on Symptom Reporting in IBS Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to induce elevated symptom reports through the presentation of unpleasant cues in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and examine whether applying an emotion regulation technique (affect labeling) can reduce symptom reporting in patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients diagnosed with IBS (N = 29) and healthy controls (N = 26) were presented with six picture series (three pleasant, three unpleasant) under three within-subject conditions: merely viewing, emotional labeling, or content (non-emotional) labeling. Each picture viewing trial was followed by affect ratings and a symptom checklist, consisting of general arousal and IBS-specific symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Viewing unpleasant pictures led to overall increased symptom reports, both for arousal and gastrointestinal symptoms, in both groups. Labeling the pictures did not reduce these effects significantly, although a trend toward less arousal symptoms after unpleasant cues emerged in the patient group only, especially during emotional labeling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current findings indicate that the mere presentation of unpleasant cues can induce elevated symptom reports in IBS patients. The results of the labeling manipulation provide modest support for the effectiveness of emotion regulation strategies in reversing these effects of unpleasant cues in patients suffering from functional syndromes. Methodological issues that may have confounded present results are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Constantinou
authors.forename: Katleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bogaerts
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Oudenhove
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tack
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Van Diest
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Van den Bergh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003463:Cues; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult