Psychosocial determinants of irritable bowel syndrome

Table 5 Health beliefs and coping with stress in relation to irritable bowel syndrome

Health beliefs in IBS may be irrational, leading to hypochondriacal attitudes

Coping strategies can be inefficient in IBS patients, patients often adopt maladaptive coping strategies such as catastrophyzing

Patients with a high degree of catastrophyzing report more severe pain

Measurement methods: CSQ, CISS, WCQ

IBS: Irritable bowel syndrome; CSQ: Coping strategies questionnaire; CISS: Coping inventory for stressful situation; WCQ: Ways of coping questionnaire.