Explaining the Causal Relationship between Emotional Schemas and the Severity of Symptoms in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome Based on the Mediatory Role of Anger

Many psychological and emotional processes can be involved in the vulnerability to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study aimed to explain the causal relationship between emotional schemas and the severity of symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome based on the mediatory role of anger.

The descriptive-correlational method was used in this study for data collection. The statistical population consisted of all patients with irritable bowel syndrome referred to Imam Reza Hospital's Gastrointestinal Clinic in Mashhad in 2020, from whom 323 individuals were selected by convenience sampling. Research tools included Irritable Bowel Syndrome Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS) by Francis et al. (1997), Novaco Anger Scale (NAS) (1994), and Leahy Emotional Schema Scale (LESS) (2002). The data were analyzed by structural equation modeling.

The indirect pathway coefficient between non-adaptive emotional schemas and the severity of irritable bowel syndrome symptoms (p<0.01, β=0.128) was positive and significant at the level of 0.01. Also, the indirect path coefficient between adaptive emotional schemas and severity of irritable bowel syndrome symptoms (p<0.01, β=-0.139) was negative and significant at the level of 0.01.

The present study results show that anger mediates the relationship between adaptive and non-adaptive emotional schemas with the severity of irritable bowel syndrome symptoms.