Journal of psychosomatic research
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Intervening on cognitions and behavior in irritable bowel syndrome: A feasibility trial using PDAs.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common, chronic, and often disabling disorder. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective in alleviating IBS symptoms. The aim of this study was to establish the feasibility and the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral e-intervention using personal digital assistants (PDAs) on the self-management of IBS patients. ⋯ A cognitive-behavioral intervention on pocket-type computers appears feasible and efficacious for improving IBS-related complaints and cognitions in the short-term. The intervention group improved on several aspects, but most on catastrophizing thoughts, and these improvements even persisted after 3 months. Future studies should focus on unravelling the effective components of this innovative e-health intervention.