TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of relaxation response meditation on the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
T2 - Results of a controlled treatment study
AU - Keefer, L.
AU - Blanchard, E. B.
N1 - Funding Information:
Preparation of this research was supported in part by a grant from NIDDK, DK-54211.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - In this study, Herbert Benson's (1975) Relaxation Response Meditation program was tested as a possible treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Participants were 16 adults who were matched into pairs based on presence of Axis I disorder, primary IBS symptoms and demographic features and randomized to either a six week meditation condition or a six week wait list symptom monitoring condition. Thirteen participants completed treatment and follow-up. All subjects assigned to the Wait List were subsequently treated. Patients in the treatment condition were taught the meditation technique and asked to practice it twice a day for 15 minutes. Composite Primary IBS Symptom Reduction (CPSR) scores were calculated for each patient from end of baseline to two weeks post-treatment (or to post wait list). One tailed independent sample t-tests revealed that Meditation was superior to the control (P=0.04). Significant within-subject improvements were noted for flatulence (P=0.03) and belching (P=0.02) by post-treatment. By three month follow-up, significant improvements in flatulence (P<0.01), belching (P=0.02), bloating (P=0.05), and diarrhea (P=0.03) were shown by symptom diary. Constipation approached significance (P=0.07). Benson's Relaxation Response Meditation appears to be a viable treatment for IBS.
AB - In this study, Herbert Benson's (1975) Relaxation Response Meditation program was tested as a possible treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Participants were 16 adults who were matched into pairs based on presence of Axis I disorder, primary IBS symptoms and demographic features and randomized to either a six week meditation condition or a six week wait list symptom monitoring condition. Thirteen participants completed treatment and follow-up. All subjects assigned to the Wait List were subsequently treated. Patients in the treatment condition were taught the meditation technique and asked to practice it twice a day for 15 minutes. Composite Primary IBS Symptom Reduction (CPSR) scores were calculated for each patient from end of baseline to two weeks post-treatment (or to post wait list). One tailed independent sample t-tests revealed that Meditation was superior to the control (P=0.04). Significant within-subject improvements were noted for flatulence (P=0.03) and belching (P=0.02) by post-treatment. By three month follow-up, significant improvements in flatulence (P<0.01), belching (P=0.02), bloating (P=0.05), and diarrhea (P=0.03) were shown by symptom diary. Constipation approached significance (P=0.07). Benson's Relaxation Response Meditation appears to be a viable treatment for IBS.
KW - Irritable Bowel Syndrome
KW - Relaxation Response Meditation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034985967&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0005-7967(00)00078-4
DO - 10.1016/S0005-7967(00)00078-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 11419611
AN - SCOPUS:0034985967
SN - 0005-7967
VL - 39
SP - 801
EP - 811
JO - Behaviour Research and Therapy
JF - Behaviour Research and Therapy
IS - 7
ER -