Some novel constructs on quality of life among patients with irritable Bowel syndrome

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) is known a functional gastrointestinal disorder, prevalence rate of IBS was found around to 10% and 20%. Research pointed out that IBS has negative impacts on patients’ quality of life and in order to undestand the underlying mechanism of the current study aimed to test a comprehensive model composed of Big Five Personality Traits and Common Sense Model. Moreover, the mediator roles of coping strategies and illness perceptions in the relationship between personality traits and quality of life was examined. The present sample consisted of 178 IBS outpatients consulting to gastroenterology clinics from tertiary health care services. Self- report measures of personality traits, illness perception, ways of coping and IBS quality of life were administrated. The relationship of variables were analyzed through path analysis. The results of the analyses revealed that neuroticism and agreeableness were significantly associated with quality of life. As the illness perceptions and coping strategies were included into the path analysis, illness perception seemed as an important mediator in the relationship between coping and quality of life. Specifically, it was found that illness outcome, illness coherence and psychological attribution had fully mediated the relationship between neuroticism and quality of life, whereas planning behavior as a coping strategy and psychological attribution had fully mediated the relationship between agreeableness and quality of life. This findings asserted that specific psychological and psychoeducational intervention programs that aimed to change illness perceptions and coping tailored according to personality traits could bring about an improvement in daily functioning of patients.