The Comparison of the Effectiveness of Trans-diagnostic Treatment and the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on Quality of Life in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Using new psychological approaches along with biological treatments is an effective measure to reduce secondary mental symptoms caused by biological diseases. The purpose of the present study is to compare the effectiveness of extra diagnostic treatment and treatment based on acceptance and commitment to the quality of life of patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

The current study was a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population included all patients with irritable bowel syndrome who were referred to Hakim Poursina Center in Isfahan in 2018-2019, out of which 45 people were selected by the available sampling method and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (15 people). and the quality-of-life questionnaire of Patrick et al (1998) was used. For of the experimental groups, meta-diagnostic treatment packages and treatment based on acceptance and commitment were provided in eight 90-minute sessions. The data were analyzed by univariate covariance analysis using SPSS19 software.

Both trans-diagnostic interventions and acceptance and commitment were effective in improving the quality of life of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (p<0.05), while the examination of the difference in means in the follow-up test indicated higher effectiveness of transdiagnostic treatment on quality of life.

With the effectiveness of both approaches used, the conclusion shows that doctors and the treatment team can prevent the severity of secondary symptoms caused by chronic diseases by using psychological treatment approaches along with biological treatments and thereby facilitate the treatment process.