The Effectiveness of Emotional Schema Therapy on the Emotional Schemas and Emotional Regulation in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Single Subject Design

Positive and negative emotional states are the most important factors in treatment and prevention process of psychosomatic diseases. This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of emotional schemas’ therapy on emotional schemas’ modifi cation and diffi culties of emotion regulation in women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

This research was implemented in the framework of single-subject experimental design using step-wise multiple baselines plan. Five patients with IBS were selected as convenience sampling on the base of their willingness to participate and then they received emotional schema therapy (EST). Research tools included ROME III scale, SCID interview, emotional schemas questionnaire, and diffi culties of emotional regulation. The analysis of data was done using visual analysis charts, recovery percentage, and reliable change index.

The results showed a decrease of scores in some maladaptive schemas and increase of some adaptive schemas than baseline in patients who received EST (P ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, this treatment decreased scores of some emotion regulation diffi culty components (P ≤ 0.05).

It seems that EST is an appropriate option for treatment of these patients because it is effective in improvement of emotional schemas and diffi culties of emotional regulation.