Quality of Life and Its Psychosocial Predictors among Patients with Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction: A Comparison with Age- and Sex-Matched Controls
The disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBIs) are a heterogeneous group of chronic conditions that greatly reduce patients’ quality of life (QoL). To date, biopsychosocial factors (such as gastrointestinal symptoms, alexithymia, and interpersonal problems) are believed to contribute to the developm...
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/12/7/757 |
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| author | Agostino Brugnera Chiara Remondi Antonino La Tona Greta Nembrini Gianluca Lo Coco Angelo Compare Alice Cardinali Alessandra Scollato Fabio Marchetti Matteo Bonetti Marie Graciella Pigozzi |
| author_facet | Agostino Brugnera Chiara Remondi Antonino La Tona Greta Nembrini Gianluca Lo Coco Angelo Compare Alice Cardinali Alessandra Scollato Fabio Marchetti Matteo Bonetti Marie Graciella Pigozzi |
| author_sort | Agostino Brugnera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBIs) are a heterogeneous group of chronic conditions that greatly reduce patients’ quality of life (QoL). To date, biopsychosocial factors (such as gastrointestinal symptoms, alexithymia, and interpersonal problems) are believed to contribute to the development and maintenance of DGBIs, but their role in affecting patients’ QoL is still under investigation. Out of 141 patients seeking treatment for their gastrointestinal symptoms, 71 were diagnosed with a DGBI (47 females, 66.2%; Mage: 41.49 ± 17.23 years) and were age- and sex-matched to 71 healthy controls (47 females, 66.2%; Mage: 40.45 ± 16.38 years) without any current gastrointestinal symptom or diagnosis. Participants completed a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire and a survey investigating several psychosocial risk factors. We found greater symptom severity and difficulties in identifying feelings among patients compared to controls. Further, multiple linear regression analyses evidenced that, among patients, higher expressive suppression of emotions, difficulties in identifying feelings and interpersonal problems, and a lower cognitive reappraisal of emotions predicted lower QoL. Data suggest that the QoL of patients with DGBIs is affected not only by common risk factors (e.g., interpersonal problems) but also by specific difficulties in processing and regulating emotions. The implications of these findings are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T10:44:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c6c1e1bed2a64de18a42f610277be352 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T10:44:54Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-c6c1e1bed2a64de18a42f610277be3522024-04-12T13:18:56ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322024-03-0112775710.3390/healthcare12070757Quality of Life and Its Psychosocial Predictors among Patients with Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction: A Comparison with Age- and Sex-Matched ControlsAgostino Brugnera0Chiara Remondi1Antonino La Tona2Greta Nembrini3Gianluca Lo Coco4Angelo Compare5Alice Cardinali6Alessandra Scollato7Fabio Marchetti8Matteo Bonetti9Marie Graciella Pigozzi10Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, ItalyDepartment of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, ItalyDepartment of Psychological Sciences, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, ItalyDepartment of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, ItalyPoliambulatorio Oberdan, 25158 Brescia, ItalyPoliambulatorio Oberdan, 25158 Brescia, ItalyPoliambulatorio Oberdan, 25158 Brescia, ItalyPoliambulatorio Oberdan, 25158 Brescia, ItalyPoliambulatorio Oberdan, 25158 Brescia, ItalyThe disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBIs) are a heterogeneous group of chronic conditions that greatly reduce patients’ quality of life (QoL). To date, biopsychosocial factors (such as gastrointestinal symptoms, alexithymia, and interpersonal problems) are believed to contribute to the development and maintenance of DGBIs, but their role in affecting patients’ QoL is still under investigation. Out of 141 patients seeking treatment for their gastrointestinal symptoms, 71 were diagnosed with a DGBI (47 females, 66.2%; Mage: 41.49 ± 17.23 years) and were age- and sex-matched to 71 healthy controls (47 females, 66.2%; Mage: 40.45 ± 16.38 years) without any current gastrointestinal symptom or diagnosis. Participants completed a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire and a survey investigating several psychosocial risk factors. We found greater symptom severity and difficulties in identifying feelings among patients compared to controls. Further, multiple linear regression analyses evidenced that, among patients, higher expressive suppression of emotions, difficulties in identifying feelings and interpersonal problems, and a lower cognitive reappraisal of emotions predicted lower QoL. Data suggest that the QoL of patients with DGBIs is affected not only by common risk factors (e.g., interpersonal problems) but also by specific difficulties in processing and regulating emotions. The implications of these findings are discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/12/7/757disorders of gut–brain interactionfunctional gastrointestinal disordersquality of lifepsychological predictors |
| spellingShingle | Agostino Brugnera Chiara Remondi Antonino La Tona Greta Nembrini Gianluca Lo Coco Angelo Compare Alice Cardinali Alessandra Scollato Fabio Marchetti Matteo Bonetti Marie Graciella Pigozzi Quality of Life and Its Psychosocial Predictors among Patients with Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction: A Comparison with Age- and Sex-Matched Controls Healthcare disorders of gut–brain interaction functional gastrointestinal disorders quality of life psychological predictors |
| title | Quality of Life and Its Psychosocial Predictors among Patients with Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction: A Comparison with Age- and Sex-Matched Controls |
| title_full | Quality of Life and Its Psychosocial Predictors among Patients with Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction: A Comparison with Age- and Sex-Matched Controls |
| title_fullStr | Quality of Life and Its Psychosocial Predictors among Patients with Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction: A Comparison with Age- and Sex-Matched Controls |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quality of Life and Its Psychosocial Predictors among Patients with Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction: A Comparison with Age- and Sex-Matched Controls |
| title_short | Quality of Life and Its Psychosocial Predictors among Patients with Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction: A Comparison with Age- and Sex-Matched Controls |
| title_sort | quality of life and its psychosocial predictors among patients with disorders of gut brain interaction a comparison with age and sex matched controls |
| topic | disorders of gut–brain interaction functional gastrointestinal disorders quality of life psychological predictors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/12/7/757 |
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