The Relationship between Illness Perception, Hope and Forgiveness in Interpersonal Relationships with Symptom Severity in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder that affects approximately 10%-15% of the population. IBS has a significant burden of disease on health system, patients and their families. Psychological and social factors have important role on etiology and treatment of IBS. The aim of present study was investigation on the relationship between illness perception, hope and forgiveness in interpersonal relationships with symptom severity in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Type of study was descriptive and correlational and subjects of study were 70 (20 men, 50 women) patients who referred to functional gastrointestinal clinic of psychosomatic research center of Isfahan university of medical sciences and gastroenterology clinics of Isfahan city. The patients selected by available sampling and evaluated by illness perception, hope, forgiveness in interpersonal relationships and gastrointestinal symptom severity of IBS. Results showed that symptom severity of IBS have significant correlations with illness perception, hope and forgiveness in interpersonal relationships. Symptom severity of IBS could predicted by score variation of forgiveness, hope and illness perception. Findings of present study supported the relations of subscales of illness perception, hope and forgiveness with symptom severity of irritable bowel syndrome.