The Effectiveness of

Authors

Abstract

Introduction: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is one of the gastrointestinal diseases that are common, disabling, and costly. Few data are available on the role of psychotherapy in the treatment of dyspeptic syndromes. The purpose of this study was to assess whether brief core conflictual relationship theme (CCRT) psychoanalytic psychotherapy improves gastrointestinal and conflict management strategies in patients with dyspepsia.
Method: A clinical randomized, controlled trial was planned in two therapeutic educational hospitals in Babol city. Thirty female patients with available sampling with FD randomly assigned to standard medical treatment with CCRT psychotherapy (15 subjects) or standard medical treatment alone (15 subjects). Gastrointestinal and conflict management strategies were assessed with Patient Assessment of Upper Gastrointestinal Disorder-Symptom Severity Index and Rahim Organization Conflict Inventory, before the trial, after treatment, and at 3-month follow-up. Independent T test and ANCOVA were used to analysis of the data.
Results: The comparisons of the mean changes in the scores between the two groups showed that CCRT psychotherapy improved all of the FD symptoms, including heartburn, nausea, fullness, bloating, upper abdominal pain, and lower abdominal pain, after treatment and at follow-up. Also, the CCRT treatment significantly improved conflict constructive management strategies of integrating, obligating, and accommodating, and decreased conflict destructive management strategies of dominating and avoiding, after treatment and at follow-up.
Conclusion: Brief CCRT psychoanalytic psychotherapy is a reliable method for improving gastrointestinal symptoms and conflict management strategies in patients with functional dyspepsia

Keywords