Cognitive and emotional variables predicting treatment outcome of cognitive behavior therapies for patients with medically unexplained symptoms: A meta-analysis

Predicting treatment response using machine learning: A registered report

OBJECTIVE

Previous research on psychotherapy treatment response has mainly focused on outpatients or clinical trial data which may have low ecological validity regarding naturalistic inpatient samples. To reduce treatment failures by proactively screening for patients at risk of low treatment response, gain more knowledge about risk factors and to evaluate treatments, accurate insights about predictors of treatment response in naturalistic inpatient samples are needed.

METHODS

We compared the performance of different machine learning algorithms in predicting treatment response, operationalized as a substantial reduction in symptom severity as expressed in the Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety and Depression Scale. To achieve this goal, we used different sets of variables-(a) demographics, (b) physical indicators, (c) psychological indicators and (d) treatment-related variables-in a naturalistic inpatient sample (N = 723) to specify their joint and unique contribution to treatment success.

RESULTS

There was a strong link between symptom severity at baseline and post-treatment (R2 = .32). When using all available variables, both machine learning algorithms outperformed the linear regressions and led to an increment in predictive performance of R2 = .12. Treatment-related variables were the most predictive, followed psychological indicators. Physical indicators and demographics were negligible.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment response in naturalistic inpatient settings can be predicted to a considerable degree by using baseline indicators. Regularization via machine learning algorithms leads to higher predictive performances as opposed to including nonlinear and interaction effects. Heterogenous aspects of mental health have incremental predictive value and should be considered as prognostic markers when modelling treatment processes.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for patients with post-COVID-19 condition (CBT-PCC): a feasibility trial

BACKGROUND

The post-COVID-19 condition describes the persistence or onset of somatic symptoms (e.g. fatigue) after acute COVID-19. Based on an existing cognitive-behavioral treatment protocol, we developed a specialized group intervention for individuals with post-COVID-19 condition. The present study examines the feasibility, acceptance, and effectiveness of the program for inpatients in a neurological rehabilitation setting.

METHODS

The treatment program comprises eight sessions and includes psychoeducational and experience-based interventions on common psychophysiological mechanisms of persistent somatic symptoms. A feasibility trial was conducted using a one-group design in a naturalistic setting. N = 64 inpatients with a history of mild COVID-19 that fulfilled WHO criteria for post-COVID-19 condition were enrolled. After each session, evaluation forms were completed and psychometric questionnaires on somatic and psychopathological symptom burden were collected pre- and post-intervention.

RESULTS

The treatment program was well received by participants and therapists. Each session was rated as comprehensible and overall satisfaction with the sessions was high. Pre-post effect sizes (of standard rehabilitation incl. new treatment program; intention-to-treat) showed significantly reduced subjective fatigue (p < 0.05, dav = 0.33) and improved disease coping (ps < 0.05, dav = 0.33-0.49).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results support the feasibility and acceptance of the newly developed cognitive-behavioral group intervention for individuals with post-COVID-19 condition. Yet, findings have to be interpreted cautiously due to the lack of a control group and follow-up measurement, the small sample size, and a relatively high drop-out rate.

Formative Evaluation of a Comprehensive Self-Management Intervention for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Comorbid Anxiety, and Depression: Mixed Methods Study

BACKGROUND

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of the gut-brain interaction that is associated with abdominal pain, altered bowel patterns, and reduced quality of life. Up to 50% of patients with IBS also report anxiety or depressive symptoms. Although effective self-management interventions exist for individuals with IBS, few have been effectively implemented, and most do not consider the unique needs of patients with comorbid IBS and anxiety or depression.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine the anticipated acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, and usability of a comprehensive self-management intervention using an implementation science and human-centered design approach among individuals with comorbid IBS and anxiety or depression and health care providers.

METHODS

A convergent mixed methods design was used to elicit feedback on the comprehensive self-management intervention outline and content to identify refinement needs before testing. Patients with IBS and moderate to severe anxiety or depression and health care providers were purposefully sampled from primary care and gastroenterology settings. Participants completed semistructured interviews and surveys on anticipated acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, and usability.

RESULTS

Patient participants (n=12) were on average 36.8 (SD 12.2) years of age, and 42% (5/12) were currently receiving psychological therapy. Health care providers (n=14) were from primary care (n=7) and gastroenterology (n=7) settings. The mean usability scores (out of 100) were 52.5 (SD 14.5) for patients and 45.6 (SD 11.6) for providers. For patients and providers, qualitative data expanded the quantitative findings for acceptability and appropriateness. Acceptability findings were the comprehensive nature of the intervention and discussion of the gut-brain interaction. For appropriateness, participants reported that the intervention provided structure, accountability, and support. Feasibility was confirmed for patients, but there was a divergence of findings between quantitative and qualitative measures for providers. Patients focused on intervention feasibility, while providers focused on implementation feasibility in the clinic. Identified usability issues to address before implementation included the intervention delivery format, length, and lack of integration into health care settings that, if not addressed, may limit the reach of the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients and health care providers found the intervention acceptable and appropriate. Several feasibility and usability issues were identified, including intervention delivery methods, length of intervention, and the best methods to implement in the clinic setting. The next steps are to refine the intervention to address the identified issues and test in a pilot study whether addressing usability issues leads to the anticipated improvements in implementation and uptake.

Cognitive function in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: impairment is common and only weakly correlated with depression/anxiety and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms

OBJECTIVE

To investigate cognitive function in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and its relation to anxiety/depression and severity of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms.

METHODS

Patients with IBS (n = 65) and healthy controls (HCs, n = 37) performed the ten subtests of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Age-normed index scores of five cognitive domains (Immediate memory, Visuospatial function, Language function, Attention, Recall) and a total (Fullscale) score were derived from the performance. Emotional function was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the IBS Symptom Scoring System (IBS-SSS) was used to define the severity of GI symptoms.

RESULTS

Patients with IBS reported significantly higher scores than the HC group on symptom measures of anxiety and depression, and significantly lower scores on the Immediate memory, Recall, and Fullscale RBANS indexes. Approximately 30% of the IBS patients obtained index scores at least one standard deviation below the population mean, and more than 50% scored above the screening threshold for an anxiety disorder. The severity of GI symptoms was significantly correlated with the severity level of anxiety symptoms (p=.006), but neither the severity level of emotional nor GI symptoms was significantly correlated with the RBANS index scores in the IBS group.

CONCLUSION

Cognitive and emotional function were more severely affected in patients with IBS than in HCs. The weak correlation between the two functional areas suggests that both should be assessed as part of a clinical examination of patients with IBS.

Post-COVID and ME/CFS - DoWe Need New Disease Theories?

Background and Research Question: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic often resulted in prolonged illness courses. A particular challenge today lies in the clinical presentation resembling that of Myalgic Encephalitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Method: We review selected literature concerning the psychosocial factors influencing chronic courses characterized primarily by fatigue. Additionally, we explore the neurobiologically grounded theory of "Predictive Coding" as a possible explanatory framework for complex somato- psychic interactions. Results: Physical findings only partially account for the dynamics and progression of chronic fatigue syndromes, necessitating more intricate disease models that incorporate aspects of bodily perception. Conclusions: Incorporating these newer theories of perception and behavior could provide a more helpful perspective on phenomena such as fatigue, leading to improved therapeutic support measures, all without contributing to premature attributions of "psychological" causes and the associated risk of stigmatization.

Machine learning for cognitive behavioral analysis: datasets, methods, paradigms, and research directions

Human behaviour reflects cognitive abilities. Human cognition is fundamentally linked to the different experiences or characteristics of consciousness/emotions, such as joy, grief, anger, etc., which assists in effective communication with others. Detection and differentiation between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are paramount in learning to control our emotions and respond more effectively in stressful circumstances. The ability to perceive, analyse, process, interpret, remember, and retrieve information while making judgments to respond correctly is referred to as Cognitive Behavior. After making a significant mark in emotion analysis, deception detection is one of the key areas to connect human behaviour, mainly in the forensic domain. Detection of lies, deception, malicious intent, abnormal behaviour, emotions, stress, etc., have significant roles in advanced stages of behavioral science. Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning (AI/ML) has helped a great deal in pattern recognition, data extraction and analysis, and interpretations. The goal of using AI and ML in behavioral sciences is to infer human behaviour, mainly for mental health or forensic investigations. The presented work provides an extensive review of the research on cognitive behaviour analysis. A parametric study is presented based on different physical characteristics, emotional behaviours, data collection sensing mechanisms, unimodal and multimodal datasets, modelling AI/ML methods, challenges, and future research directions.

Assessment of Self-Reported Executive Function in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome Using a Machine-Learning Framework

Introduction: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is characterized as a disorder of the gut-brain interaction (DGBI). Here, we explored the presence of problems related to executive function (EF) in patients with IBS and tested the relative importance of cognitive features involved in EF. Methods: A total of 44 patients with IBS and 22 healthy controls (HCs) completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF-A), used to identify nine EF features. The PyCaret 3.0 machine-learning library in Python was used to explore the data, generate a robust model to classify patients with IBS versus HCs and identify the relative importance of the EF features in this model. The robustness of the model was evaluated by training the model on a subset of data and testing it on the unseen, hold-out dataset. Results: The explorative analysis showed that patients with IBS reported significantly more severe EF problems than the HC group on measures of working memory function, initiation, cognitive flexibility and emotional control. Impairment at a level in need of clinical attention was found in up to 40% on some of these scales. When the nine EF features were used as input to a collection of different binary classifiers, the Extreme Gradient Boosting algorithm (XGBoost) showed superior performance. The working memory subscale was consistently selected with the strongest importance in this model, followed by planning and emotional control. The goodness of the machine-learning model was confirmed in an unseen dataset by correctly classifying 85% of the IBS patients. Conclusions: The results showed the presence of EF-related problems in patients with IBS, with a substantial impact of problems related to working memory function. These results suggest that EF should be part of an assessment procedure when a patient presents other symptoms of IBS and that working memory function should be considered a target when treating patients with the disorder. Further studies should include measures of EF as part of the symptom cluster characterizing patients with IBS and other DGBIs.

Exploring maladaptive cognitions and behaviors as perpetuating factors in patients with persistent somatic symptoms: a longitudinal study

OBJECTIVE

Maladaptive cognitions and behaviors may influence symptoms and impairment in patients with persistent somatic symptoms (PSS). Aims of this study were to examine: (i) whether maladaptive cognitions and behaviors are associated with symptom severity and functional health over time; (ii) if these associations are the result of changes within individuals over time or of differences between individuals; (iii) directions of changes within individuals over time.

METHODS

Longitudinal data of a heterogeneous sample of patients with PSS were analyzed (n = 322 patients enrolled in the PROSPECTS cohort study). Cognitive and behavioral responses to symptoms (CBRQ), symptom severity (PHQ-15) and physical and mental functioning (RAND-36 PCS and MCS) were assessed seven times over a five-year period (0, 6 months, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 year). Longitudinal mixed model and hybrid model analysis with and without time-lag were applied.

RESULTS

Maladaptive cognitions and behaviors were associated with more severe symptoms and reduced physical and mental functioning over time. Both changes within individuals over time and differences between individuals were associated with higher symptom severity and reduced physical and mental functioning. The between-subject component was about twice the effect size of the within-subject component. Changes in several specific maladaptive cognitions and behaviors were associated with more severe symptoms and reduced physical and mental functioning later in time and vice versa.

CONCLUSION

This study shows that maladaptive cognitions and behaviors are associated with symptom severity and reduced physical and mental functioning over time in patients with PSS.

Associations between risky alcohol use, disability, and problem-solving impairment among Veterans with Gulf War Illness: Secondary data analysis of a randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

Gulf War Illness (GWI) and alcohol use are both major sources of disability among Gulf War Veterans. The goal of this secondary data analysis was to examine associations between risky alcohol use, problem-solving impairment, and disability among Veterans in a randomized clinical trial of problem-solving treatment (PST) for GWI. We examined cross-sectional associations and conducted longitudinal analyses to test if alcohol use moderated treatment outcome of PST.

METHODS

Participants were 268 United States military Veterans with GWI randomized to PST or a control intervention. Participants were assessed at four timepoints. Measures included the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHO-DAS 2.0), Problem Solving Inventory (PSI), and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Concise (AUDIT-C). We conducted multivariate regression (cross-sectional) and mixed model analyses (longitudinal) with separate models for WHO-DAS 2.0 and PSI. All models included AUDIT-C and household income. This analysis was pre-registered on the Open Science Framework.

RESULTS

Cross-sectional analyses revealed a significant negative association with small effect size between AUDIT-C and WHO-DAS 2.0 (p = 0.006; f² = 0.05); worse disability was associated with less risky alcohol use. There was no evidence that risky alcohol use moderated effects of PST on disability or PSI.

CONCLUSION

If replicated, the cross-sectional findings suggest high levels of disability may deter heavy drinking among Veterans with GWI. We did not find evidence that risky alcohol use moderated treatment outcome of PST for GWI. More research is needed to identify moderators of GWI interventions and to understand risky drinking among Veterans with complex health problems.

Somatic symptom distress and gender moderate the effect of integrative group psychotherapy for functional vertigo on vertigo handicap: A moderation analysis of a randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

Psychotherapeutic treatments for functional vertigo have shown promising results in recent years but it is still to be determined for whom these treatments work best. The aim of this study was to run a moderation analysis to identify which baseline factors may moderate the success of integrative psychotherapeutic group treatment (IPGT) as compared to a self-help group (SHG) active control.

METHODS

Data from 159 patients included in a 16-week randomised controlled trial were analysed. The outcome was vertigo-related handicap at post-treatment and gender, age, baseline somatisation, depression and anxiety were taken as putative moderators.

RESULTS

We found that baseline somatic symptoms (i.e. PHQ-15 score, p = 0.04, ∆R2 = 0.02) and gender (p = 0.04, ∆R2 = 0.02) significantly moderated the effect of treatment type on post-treatment vertigo handicap. Patients with higher PHQ-15 scores at baseline and women reduced their vertigo handicap more in IPGT as compared to in the control condition.

CONCLUSION

A possible explanation for this result is that somatic symptom distress is the central aetiopathogenetic factor of functional vertigo, while depressiveness and anxiety are rather epiphenomena in the sense of comorbidity. Although the results are not entirely consistent, according to some studies, female gender seems to be a favourable predictor of better therapy outcome. Given the high impairment and healthcare costs in those with vertigo/dizziness and psychiatric comorbidity, it is important to effectively treat these patients as early as possible. This study provides a prescriptive tool for practitioners, allowing for more patient-tailored treatment decisions.

Symptom management needs of patients with irritable bowel syndrome and concurrent anxiety and/or depression: A qualitative study

AIMS

To understand the experiences and needs of symptom management among individuals with irritable bowel syndrome and concurrent symptoms of anxiety and/or depression.

DESIGN

This study used a qualitative descriptive research design.

METHODS

Individuals with a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome and concurrent symptoms of anxiety and/or depression participated were recruited through an online ResearchMatch and a listserv. Semi-structured interviews focused on symptoms and experiences with symptom management interventions conducted from June to August 2020. Interviews were transcribed and data were analysed based on thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Twelve individuals participated in this study; all reported current irritable bowel syndrome and anxiety/depression symptoms. The data analysis cumulated with three themes related to symptom management: (a) irritable bowel syndrome negatively impacts physical and mental well-being; (b) a trial and error approach to symptom management; and (c) challenges with healthcare professionals supporting symptom management including negative interactions with healthcare professionals and lack of nutritional expertize and support.

CONCLUSION

There is a need for individualized approaches which consider patients' current symptoms of anxiety and depression, previous experiences with the trial-and-error process and consideration for intervention delivery methods.

IMPACT

There is a limited qualitative research focusing on the experiences of individuals with irritable bowel syndrome and concurrent symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. This research highlights the need for individualized approaches to enhance symptom management that acknowledges patients' psychological state and past negative experiences with providers and prior dietary regimens.

Virtual Digital Psychotherapist App-Based Treatment in Patients With Methamphetamine Use Disorder (Echo-APP): Single-Arm Pilot Feasibility and Efficacy Study

BACKGROUND

Substance use disorder is one of the severe public health problems worldwide. Inequitable resources, discrimination, and physical distances limit patients' access to medical help. Automated conversational agents have the potential to provide in-home and remote therapy. However, automatic dialogue agents mostly use text and other methods to interact, which affects the interaction experience, treatment immersion, and clinical efficacy.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this paper is to describe the design and development of Echo-APP, a tablet-based app with the function of a virtual digital psychotherapist, and to conduct a pilot study to explore the feasibility and preliminary efficacy results of Echo-APP for patients with methamphetamine use disorder.

METHODS

Echo-APP is an assessment and rehabilitation program developed for substance use disorder (SUD) by a team of clinicians, psychotherapists, and computer experts. The program is available for Android tablets. In terms of assessment, the focus is on the core characteristics of SUD, such as mood, impulsivity, treatment motivation, and craving level. In terms of treatment, Echo-APP provides 10 treatment units, involving awareness of addiction, motivation enhancement, emotion regulation, meditation, etc. A total of 47 patients with methamphetamine dependence were eventually enrolled in the pilot study to receive a single session of the Echo-APP-based motivational enhancement treatment. The outcomes were assessed before and after the patients' treatment, including treatment motivation, craving levels, self-perception on the importance of drug abstinence, and their confidence in stopping the drug use.

RESULTS

In the pilot study, scores on the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale and the questionnaire on motivation for abstaining from drugs significantly increased after the Echo-APP-based treatment (P<.001, Cohen d=-0.60), while craving was reduced (P=.01, Cohen d=0.38). Patients' baseline Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 assessment score (β=3.57; P<.001; 95% CI 0.80, 2.89) and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS)-motor impulsiveness score (β=-2.10; P=.04; 95% CI -0.94, -0.02) were predictive of changes in the patients' treatment motivation during treatment. Moreover, patients' baseline Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 assessment score (β=-1.607; P=.03; 95% CI -3.08, -0.14), BIS-attentional impulsivity score (β=-2.43; P=.004; 95% CI -4.03, -0.83), and BIS-nonplanning impulsivity score (β=2.54; P=.002; 95% CI 0.98, 4.10) were predictive of changes in craving scores during treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Echo-APP is a practical, accepted, and promising virtual digital psychotherapist program for patients with methamphetamine dependence. The preliminary findings lay a good foundation for further optimization of the program and the promotion of large-scale randomized controlled clinical studies for SUD.

The Cognitive and Behavioural Responses to Symptoms Questionnaire (CBRQ): Development, reliability and validity across several long-term conditions

OBJECTIVES

Cognitive and behavioural responses to symptoms can worsen or maintain the severity of symptoms across long-term conditions (LTCs). Although the Cognitive and Behavioural Responses Questionnaire (CBRQ) has been used in research, its original development and psychometric properties as a transdiagnostic measure have not been reported. Our aim was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the CBRQ and a recently proposed short version, across different LTCs.

DESIGN

Psychometric validation study.

METHODS

Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) tested the factor structure of the CBRQ in two datasets from the CBRQ's original development; (chronic fatigue syndrome, N = 230; and multiple sclerosis, N = 221) and in additional groups: haemodialysis (N = 174), inflammatory bowel disease (N = 182) and chronic dizziness (N = 185). Scale reliability and construct validity were assessed. The factor structure of the shortened CBRQ (CBRQ-SF) was also assessed.

RESULTS

CFA revealed that a 7-or 8-factor structure had generally appropriate fit supporting the originally proposed 7 factors (Fear avoidance, Damage beliefs, Catastrophising, Embarrassment avoidance, Symptom focusing, All-or-nothing behaviour and Avoidance/Resting behaviour). Omega coefficients indicated satisfactory internal reliability. Correlations with related constructs suggested construct validity. The scale appeared sensitive to change. The CBRQ-SF also displayed good psychometric quality, with a better model fit than the CBRQ.

CONCLUSIONS

The CBRQ and the shortened version were shown to be reliable and valid at assessing a range of cognitive and behavioural responses to symptoms, highlighting the multi-symptom, transdiagnostic properties of this questionnaire. Further research is necessary to determine the test-retest reliability and sensitivity to change of the CBRQ and CBRQ-SF and a thorough evaluation of the content validity of the items.

Internet-based emotional awareness and expression therapy for somatic symptom disorder: A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) is commonly encountered in health care settings. Cognitive-behavioural treatments have been most extensively studied, but they tend to have small effects of temporary duration. Emotional awareness and expression therapy (EAET) is a newly developed treatment for SSD, targeting emotional processing of trauma and conflict as a mechanism of symptom change. In an earlier uncontrolled study of self-guided, internet-administrated EAET (I-EAET), we found substantial reductions in somatic symptoms, prompting the need for a randomized controlled trial of I-EAET.

METHODS

We conducted a 2-arm RCT, comparing 10-week I-EAET (n = 37) to a waitlist control (WL; n = 37). Primary outcomes were reductions of somatic symptoms (PHQ-15) and pain intensity (BPI-4) at post-treatment, with a 4-month evaluation of effect duration. We also analysed emotional processing (EPS-25) and depression (PHQ-9) as possible mediators of I-EAET's effects.

RESULTS

Compared to controls, I-EAET significantly reduced somatic symptoms at both post-treatment and follow-up. I-EAET also reduced pain, depression, insomnia, and anxiety at post-treatment, but these effects were not retained at follow-up. As hypothesized, a facet of emotional processing partially mediated the treatment effect on somatic symptoms, even when controlling for depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Although treatment effects were smaller than in the previous uncontrolled trial, I-EAET is a promising treatment for SSD, with a minority of patients (around 20%) experiencing substantial clinical improvement. The benefits of I-EAET are partially mediated by improved emotional processing. Future research should identify and target patients who respond best to I-EAET and develop tailored treatment to enhance treatment effects. (Preregistered at clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04751825.).

Somatosensory amplification moderates the efficacy of internet-delivered CBT for somatic symptom distress in emerging adults: Exploratory analysis of a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

While studies mainly provide positive evidence for the efficacy of internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT) for various persistent somatic symptoms, it remains largely unclear for whom these interventions work or not. This exploratory analysis aimed to identify moderators for the outcome between ICBT for somatic symptom distres and a waitlist control group (WL) in a vulnerable target group of emerging adults.

METHODS

Based on data from a randomized controlled trial on 156 university students with varying degrees of somatic symptom distress who were allocated to either an eight-week, therapist guided ICBT (iSOMA) or to the WL, we examined pretreatment demographic characteristics, health-related variables (e.g., somatic symptom duration), mental distress (e.g., depression, anxiety) and cognitive-emotional factors (emotional reactivity, somatosensory amplification) as candidate moderators of the outcome, somatic symptom distress (assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-15) from pre- to posttreatment.

RESULTS

Somatosensory amplification (assessed by the Somatosensory Amplification Scale, SSAS) moderated the outcome in favor of iSOMA (B = -0.17, SE = 0.08, p = 0.031), i.e., higher pretreatment somatosensory amplification was associated with better outcome in the active compared to the control intervention. No significant moderation effects were found among demographic characteristics, health-related variables, or mental distress.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that an internet-delivered CBT for somatic symptom distress should be preferred over no active treatment particularly in individuals with moderate to high levels of somatosensory amplification, which as a next step should be tested against further treatments and in clinical populations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00014375).

Cognitive behavioral treatment for irritable bowel syndrome: a recent literature review

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal psychosomatic disorder that often develops and worsens with stress. Hence, it is important to treat it from both, its physical and mental aspects. We reviewed recent research on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)—one of the most widely studied psychological treatments for IBS—since it focuses on addressing the cognitions and behaviors associated with IBS symptoms, and combines diverse content, such as cognitive techniques, exposure, stress management, and mindfulness, whose effects have been widely studied. Research on CBT for IBS varies not only in terms of content of the interventions, but also in terms of implementation (individual or group, face-to-face or online). Internet-delivered CBT has recently shown the possibility of providing more accessible and cost-effective psychological intervention to IBS patients in formats, other than face-to-face. In recent years, many standardized scales that allow for IBS-specific psychological assessments have been used in clinical studies of CBT for IBS. Tools that competently deliver effective interventions and properly measure their effectiveness are expected to spread to many people suffering from IBS.

[Mental and Somatic Health Care Use in Persistent Somatic Symptoms: 4-Year Follow Up of the Network for Somatoform and Functional Disorders (Sofu-Net)]

BACKGROUND

The stepped, coordinated, interdisciplinary Health Network for Somatoform and Functional Disorders (Sofu-Net) was developed to provide guideline-based care for patients with somatoform and functional disorders. This controlled cluster cohort study evaluated patients' mental and somatic health care use, clinical outcomes, and their predictors at 4-years follow-up.

METHOD

219 patients at risk for somatoform disorders from Sofu-Net practices (n=119) and control practices (n=100) were resurveyed after 4 years using structured interviews. Outcomes were mental and somatic health care use, somatic symptom burden and depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

127 patients (n=74 Sofu-Net, n=53 controls) were followed up. Compared with the control group, Sofu-Net patients were significantly more likely to be referred to psychotherapy (55.4 vs. 35.8%). Younger age and more frequent GP consultations on the occasion of psychosocial problems predicted mental health care use. No difference was found between the two groups in the severity of clinical symptoms or in the extent of somatic health care use. Significant predictors were the number of somatic diseases, increased fear of illness, female gender, increased depressive symptomatology, low physical and mental quality of life.

DISCUSSION

In the long term, the coordinated and interdisciplinary network structure succeeded in more successfully referring high-risk patients to psychotherapy. The role of the primary care physician proved to be important. However, this was not accompanied by an improvement in the patients' clinical condition or a decrease in outpatient physician utilization.