The sense of body boundaries – subjective determinants and implications for body self-relation in people with psychosomatic illnesses

Abstract

Abstract This article seeks to explore the determinants of the sense of body boundaries and its implications for body self- relation in psychosomatic patients - patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as well as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Stepwise regression analysis and paths analysis were carried out. The most significant condition affecting the strength of the sense of body boundaries among IBS patients is their sensitivity to the violation of self- boundaries in the dimension of the social self. Likewise, among patients with skin diseases, the most important factor is their style of cognitive functioning (field independence). Furthermore, both similarities and differences have been found in the groups involved in the research in terms of determinants of the sense of body boundaries, as well as in comparison with the results from healthy patients. The results which were obtained indicated that the greater the strength of the sense of body boundaries in IBS patients, the greater its positive impact on the assessment of the patients’ own health, their physical attractiveness and comfort from touch, in a similar way to that in healthy people. As far as patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis are concerned, the sense of body boundaries was revealed to have a positive impact on the level of health orientation: active involvement with either maintaining or improving the health condition.