The association of personality, appraisal, catastrophising and vigilance with gastrointestinal symptom-specific anxiety

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between psychosocial factors and functional gastrointestinal disorder symptomatology by testing a more comprehensive and integrated model than found in prior research. A total of 233 respondents completed an online battery to assess factors such as personality, dysfunctional cognitions and gastrointestinal anxiety. Results based on path modelling provided support for the majority of the hypothesised pathways. This study implicates a number of personality factors and dysfunctional cognitive processes as relevant to functional gastrointestinal disorder symptom burden. These findings have implications for future research, including which dysfunctional cognitive processes should be targeted therapeutically.