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COMBINED GROUP COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOUR THERAPY AND HYPNOTHERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME: THE FEASIBILITY OF CLINICAL PROVISION

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 February 2004

Elizabeth E. Taylor
Affiliation:
East Lancashire Integrated Health Care Centre, UK
Nicholas W. Read
Affiliation:
Physician and Psychoanalytical Psychotherapist, UK
Helen M. Hills
Affiliation:
East Lancashire Integrated Health Care Centre, UK

Abstract

Conventional medical treatment is often ineffective in the management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Although controlled trials of psychotherapy and hypnotherapy have been shown to be effective, psychological interventions are not widely available. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of the clinical provision of combined group cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) and hypnotherapy delivered by 13 therapists using a standardized protocol. Attempts were also made to disseminate the programme by patient graduates. A session-by-session instruction manual was compiled and the protocol was tested in a pilot group. Thereafter a total of 158 patients in 23 different groups took part in the 16-session intervention. Attrition rate was very low. Significant improvements in both gastrointestinal and psychosocial symptoms were observed following the intervention. The results suggest that professionally led group psychotherapy and hypnotherapy is a feasible option for the treatment of sufferers of IBS and increased efforts should be made in the training and supervision of user facilitators.

Type
Clinical Section
Copyright
© 2004 British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies

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