The relationship of psychlogical hardiness with alexithymia and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders

Abstract

Background: It is assumed that the hardiness, as a positive natural factor, can increase mental health in spite of the experience of stressful situations. The present study investigated the relationship of psychological hardiness with alexithymia and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders. Methods: In this descriptive-correlation study, the statistical population consisted of all patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders referred to the Subspecialty Center of Psychiatry in Isfahan, Iran. Sampling was done via census method, namely, 167 patients were selected according to the study criteria and during a certain period of time. To collect information, the scales of the psychological hardiness (Lang and Goulet Hardiness Scale or LGHS), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale (GSRS) were used. Findings: The Pearson correlation test showed that there were significant negative correlations between the hardiness total score and the components of control and commitment with severity of gastrointestinal symptoms, and the hardiness total score and the components of control and challenge. However, logistic regression analyses showed that only, the control factor was as a protective factor for both severity of gastrointestinal symptoms and alexithymia. Conclusion: The implementation of psychological interventions that lead to the reinforcement of the features of hardiness and its components can alter patients' psychological system. Thus, it takes an essential step in healing process and decreases the risk factors of disease, such as alexithymia, and even prevent illness incidence. © 2015, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.