Quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: the role of positive psychological factors

Rafaela Matos,Leonor Lencastre,Vânia Rocha,Sandra Torres,Filipa Vieira,Maria Raquel Barbosa,Jorge Ascenção,Marina Prista Guerra

doi:10.1080/21642850.2021.2007098

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective To identify differences in quality of life (QoL) of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) between diagnosis (Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis), gender (male and female), treatment condition (with and without surgery), and attachment styles (secure, preoccupied, and disconnected); to examine associations between QoL, sociodemographic, clinical, and positive psychological variables; to determine whether sociodemographic, clinical, and positive psychological variables predict QoL. Method The sample included 70 participants diagnosed with IBD (Mage = 43.37 years, SD = 12.81), of whom 71.4% were females and 67.1% had Crohn’s Disease. Positive psychological variables (meaning in life, positive body image, and attachment styles), sociodemographic (age, education, gender) and clinical variables (diagnosis, disease duration, surgery) were assessed as independent variables. QoL was the dependent variable, analyzed through four domains (physical, psychological, social, environment). Results Participants with a secure attachment style reported higher QoL (physical, psychological, and social) than participants with a preoccupied attachment style. Strong positive correlations were found between positive psychological variables and QoL. Body appreciation was a significant predictor of three QoL domains (physical, psychological, and environment). Meaning in life made a unique contribution to the social QoL regression model, and it was also a significant predictor of psychological QoL. Body acceptance by others was a significant predictor of physical QoL, whereas disease duration and education predicted environment QoL. Attachment styles did not predict any QoL domain. Conclusion The most significant predictors of QoL in patients with IBD were body appreciation and meaning in life. Body acceptance by others and body appreciation were the main predictors of physical QoL. Psychological interventions for patients who suffer from IBD should address body appreciation and meaning in life.

Highlights

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) represents a group of gastrointestinal disorders that cause chronic and recurrent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract (Knowles et al, 2018a)
The results showed that there were no significant differences between participants diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) regarding quality of life (QoL) scores
Matos, and Costa (2011) found that positive attachment to parents and to romantic partners was a significant predictor of a positive body image in a sample of young Portuguese adults. These results suggest that a positive body image can be influenced by attachment styles

Summary

Introduction

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) represents a group of gastrointestinal disorders that cause chronic and recurrent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract (Knowles et al, 2018a). IBD encompasses two types of idiopathic intestinal diseases that share similar characteristics regarding motor and sensory physiology: Crohn’s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC; Roda et al, 2020). The morbidity inherent to the disease and the therapy itself, such as medication and surgeries, affect patients’ professional and school productivity, socialization, personal development, and family relationships. Both diseases are associated with an increased risk of developing intestinal cancer and, with consequent mortality (Knowles et al, 2018a)

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion