Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common conditions referred to gastroenterologists, but one of the least well understood. Part of the reason for this is the lack of consensus of opinion regarding the nature of the complaint. A growing body of evidence attests to the fact that, although certain physiological mechanisms exist that may contribute to the disorder, psychological factors also play an important role in the pathogenesis of IBS in a significant proportion of the patients. In particular, a variety of investigations point to a relationship between self-concept and supportive relationships as being important determinants in health outcomes. The purpose of the study was to determine whether statistically significant differences could be found between individuals suffering from IBS and healthy controls in terms of their self-concept and level of adjustment in terms of relationships, by analysing the results obtained on two psychometric questionnaires, namely the Personal, Home, Social and Formal Relations Questionnaire, and the Adolescent Self-Concept Scale. Statistically significant differences were found between a group of IBS sufferers and a non-IBS control group on the following sub-scales of the Personal, Home, Social and Formal relations Questionnaire: Self-esteem, Nervousness, Health, Family Influences, Personal Influences, Sociability – G, and Moral Sense, with the IBS group achieving higher on these sub-scales. Statistically significant differences were also found in the following dimensions of the Adolescent Self-Concept Scale: Physical Self, Personal Self, Family Self, and Social Self, with the IBS group again achieving higher on these dimensions than the non-IBS group.
A Comparison of Overexcitability and Social Self-Concept between the Scientifically Gifted and Non-Gifted Elementary Students
