Contrasting Psychotherapeutic Treatments in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: an Exploratory Review

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explain the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic treatments in patients with inflammatory bowel disease through an exploratory review of selected literature (2016-2022). Nineteen studies comprising interventions with cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, acceptance and commitment psychotherapy, and mindfulness were included, show data from N = 2506 people diagnosed with IBD, adult, adolescent and child participants, from different face-to-face and distance therapeutic programs. Results display a disparity of findings and are not definitive. The intervention that has the greatest verifiable therapeutic potential, given a better systematization of methodological procedures used, is cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. Future research on psychological interventions in IBD should focus on the use of trial of control and experimental groups, with random assignmentof participants and compliance with parameters that guarantee comparison between groups and replicability of studies, including design of a more standardized version of intervention procedures.