Related Experiment Videos
Brief hypnotherapeutic-behavioral intervention for functional abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome in
Marco Daniel Gulewitsch1, Judith Müller, Martin Hautzinger
1Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Schleichstraße 4, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. marco-daniel.gulewitsch@uni-tuebingen.de
Insights
A brief hypnotherapeutic-behavioral intervention significantly reduced functional abdominal pain and disability in children. This treatment showed higher remission rates compared to a waiting list control group.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Child Psychology
- Behavioral Medicine
Background:
- Functional abdominal pain (FAP) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are common in children, causing chronic pain, functional impairment, and reduced quality of life.
- These conditions significantly impact children's daily functioning and overall well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a brief hypnotherapeutic-behavioral intervention program for children experiencing functional abdominal pain.
- To compare the outcomes of this intervention against a waiting list control group in a randomized controlled trial.
Main Methods:
- A prospective randomized controlled trial involving 38 children (aged 6-12) and their parents.
- Participants were randomly assigned to either a standardized hypnotherapeutic-behavioral treatment group (n=20) or a waiting list control group (n=18).
- Outcomes, including pain scores, pain-related disability, and quality of life, were assessed at baseline and 3-month follow-up from both child and parent perspectives.
Main Results:
- The hypnotherapeutic-behavioral treatment group achieved clinical remission in 55.0% of children, compared to only 5.6% in the waiting list group.
- Children in the treatment group reported significantly greater reductions in pain scores and pain-related disability.
- Parental ratings corroborated these findings, indicating a greater reduction in their children's abdominal pain and disability.
Conclusions:
- Brief hypnotherapeutic and behavioral interventions are effective in treating children with long-standing functional abdominal pain.
- The study suggests this intervention is a viable treatment option, though further evaluation against active interventions with longer follow-up is recommended.
Unlabelled:
Functional abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome are two prevalent disorders in childhood which are associated with recurrent or chronic abdominal pain, disabilities in daily functioning, and reduced quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate a brief hypnotherapeutic-behavioral intervention program in a prospective randomized controlled design. Thirty-eight children, 6 to 12 years of age, and their parents were randomly assigned to a standardized hypnotherapeutic-behavioral treatment (n = 20) or to a waiting list condition (n = 18). Both groups were reassessed 3 months after beginning. Primary outcome variables were child-completed pain measures and pain-related disability. Secondary outcome variables were parent-completed measures of their children's pain and pain-related disability. Health-related quality of life from both perspectives also served as a secondary outcome. In the treatment group, 11 of 20 children (55.0%) showed clinical remission (>80% improvement), whereas only one child (5.6%) in the waiting list condition was classified as responder. Children in the treatment group reported a significantly greater reduction of pain scores and pain-related disability than children of the waiting list condition. Parental ratings also showed a greater reduction of children's abdominal pain and pain-related disability. Health-related quality of life did not increase significantly.
Conclusions:
Hypnotherapeutic and behavioral interventions are effective in treating children with long-standing AP. Treatment success of this brief program should be further evaluated against active interventions with a longer follow-up.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Irritable Bowel Syndrome III: Medical and Nursing Management
01:23Irritable Bowel Syndrome
01:21Drugs for Treatment of Constipation-Predominant IBS
01:30Irritable Bowel Syndrome II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Evaluation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is classified into subtypes based on the predominant bowel habits as determined by the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS). The subtypes are:
01:17Drugs for Treatment of Diarrhea-Predominant IBS
Two specific drugs used in the treatment are alosetron (Lotronex) and eluxadoline (Viberzi). Alosetron, a 5-HT3 antagonist, works by slowing the movement of stools in the gut, reducing bowel...
01:17Irritable Bowel Syndrome I: Introduction
IBS is a chronic condition that can persist over a long period or recur frequently.
The pathogenesis of IBS involves a complex interplay of the following factors:
Altered...