Irritable bowel syndrome is a painful and chronic disease that affects 8 to 17 percent of American adults. Fortunately, psychotherapy can bring relief to the significant physical and psychological distress caused by IBS. This book provides all the information needed to treat this disorder. It reviews research on the effectiveness of psychological treatments for IBS, describes psychological assessment techniques, and then outlines detailed treatment methods. The treatment methods detailed are short-term therapies and include the three major treatment modalities shown to be most effective for this population: cognitive therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and hypnotherapy. Session-by-session treatment plans for each of these therapies are outlined, describing the rationale for the session, goals and objectives, structured activities, and homework assignments. Also provided are assessment forms, symptom diaries, cognitive monitoring forms, and educational handouts. Instructions for modifying the three treatments for use with individuals and with groups are provided as well as helpful advice for collaborating with gastroenterologists and other referring physicians. This is the essential resource for helping patients ease the pain of this distressing disorder. --- from the publisher Contents: Acknowledgements Preface Part One: Assessment 1. Diagnosis: What Is Irritable Bowel Syndrome? 2. The Magnitude of the Problem 3. Taking the IBS History 4.The GI Symptom Diary: How to Tell If the Patient is Improving 5.Psychological factors in Irritable Bowel Syndrome 6. Which Comes First, Patienthood or Neurosis?: Studies of IBS Patients and IBS Non-Patients 7. Psychiatric Studies of Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome 8. IBS and Stress: Which Comes First? 9. IBS and Early Abuse 10. The Psychophysiology of Irritable Bowel Syndrome 11. Altered Pain Sensitivity and IBS 12. Inflammatory Bowel Disease 13. Recurrent Abdominal Pain (RAP) in Children: Is It a Precursor of IBS? Part Two: Treatment 14. Drug and Dietary Treatments of IBS 15. Psychological Treatment of IBS: An Overview 16. The Albany IBS Treatment Studies 17. Treatment Manual for Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of IBS 18. Treatment Manual for Cognitive Therapy Treatment of IBS 19. Treatment Manual for Hypnotherapy Treatment of IBS 20. Prediction of Treatment Response Among IBS Patients 21. Long Term Follow-up of Psychological Treatment for IBS References Appendix A: Treatment Manual for Psycho-Educational Support Group for IBS Appendix B: What to say to physician referral sources in order to recruit IBS patients Appendix C: Miscellaneous Forms Index | 
