Irritable bowel syndrome: Personality and health behaviours: A biopsychosocial approach

• Published in: Health SA = SA Gesondheid Vol. 4; no. 1; pp. 10 - 18
• Main Authors: Stanley, Jean, Stuart, Anita D, Pretorius, H Gertie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 22-10-1999
• ISSN: 1025-9848; 2071-9736
• DOI: 10.4102/hsag.v4i1.5

The goal of this study was to indicate the complex nature of functional gastrointestinal disorders by studying the interaction between Irritable Bowel Syndrome and person personality aspects and health behaviour. An ex post facto design was used to compare two groups of women, the one group with iBS (N = 60) and the other without (N = 60) in terms of the above mentioned variables. The NEO-Personality lnventory (Revised) was used to compare the groups on five broad aspects of personality i.e. Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness for Experience, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. The Health Behaviour Checklist was used to measure health behaviours as indicated by the foilowing factors: Wellness Maintenance and Enhancement, Accident Control, Traffic Risk Taking and Substance Risk Taking. The results indicate that statistically significant differences do indeed exist between the groups in terms of certain personality aspects (neuroticism, extraversion, openness for experience) and certain health aspects (especially wellness maintenance and enhancement and traffic risk taking). It seems then as if IBS sufferers share certain personality characteristics which influence their behaviour related to the maintenance and enhancement of their health. Finally, we recommend a holistic approach to treatment and therapeutic interventions.Opsomming Die studie het ten doel gehad om die komplekse aard van die Funksionele Maagderm Versteurings aan te dui deur die interaksie tussen Prikkelbare Dermsindroom en persoonlikheidsaspekte en gesondheidsgedrag ("health behavioui') te bestudeer. Daar is gebruik gemaak van 'n ex post facto ontwerp om twee groepe vrouens, die een groep met PDS (N = 60) en die ander daarsonder (N = 60), ten opsigte van die veranderlikes te vergelyk. Die NEO - Personality lnventory (Revised) is gebruik om die groepe te vergelyk ten opsigte van vyf brei persoonlikheidsaspekte naamlik, Neurotisme, Ekstraversie, Oopheid vir Ervaring, Welgevalligheid en Konsensieusheid. Tweedens is die Health Behaviour Checklist gebruik om gesondheidsgedrag te meet soos aangedui deur die volgende faktore: Gesondheidsinstandhouding en -verbetering, Ongelukbeheer, Verkeer Risikogeneigdheid en Middeirisikogeneigdheid ("Substance"). Die resultate toon aan dat statisties beduidende verskille wei bestaan tussen die groepe ten opsigte van sekere persoonlikheidaspekte (neurotisme, ekstraversie en oopheid vir ervaring) en sekere gesondheidsgedragaspekte (veral gesondheidsinstandhouding en -verbetering en verkeer risikogedrag). Dit wil dus voorkom asof PDS lyers sekere persoonlikheidskenmerke deel wat hui gedrag op so 'n wyse beinvloed dat hulle sekere gedrag ten opsigte van die instandhouding en verbetering van hul gesondheid toon. Laastens word 'n holistiese benadering vir behandeling en terapeutiese intervensies aanbeveel.