The Experience of Self-conscious Emotions in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Thematic Analysis

Few studies have investigated emotional experiences in people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, self-conscious emotions, including embarrassment and shame, are indicated as a key factor in delayed help-seeking for bowel symptoms, which can result in poorer health outcomes. This study aimed to explore experiences of self-conscious emotions among people with IBD. Fifteen participants were recruited from outpatient IBD clinics and patient groups, and engaged in semi-structured interviews about their experiences of IBD-related self-consciousness. Data were analysed using thematic analysis following an inductive, semantic approach and conducted from a critical realist position. The analysis generated two themes, each with three sub-themes, which captured self-conscious emotions in relation to experiences which threatened participants’ preferred identities. The first theme, ‘Lack of control’ encapsulated participants’ distress relating to fundamental alteration in self-perception, and their attempts to mitigate this. The second, ‘Lack of understanding’ captured distress associated with awareness of being unfairly judged by other people. Clinical implications are identified, including consideration of therapeutic approaches which target self-conscious emotions such as shame, and continued societal efforts to educate others about invisible disabilities such as IBD. Experiences which threatened participants’ identities were implicated in the generation of self-conscious emotions; these should be considered in work with clients with IBD. Future research should target further investigation of these constructs.

Exploring Associations Between Self-Compassion, Self-Criticism, Mental Health, and Quality of Life in Adults with Cystic Fibrosis: Informing Future Interventions

Self-compassion is increasingly recognised as an important and beneficial factor in quality of life and mental health-related research, but research within the adult cystic fibrosis (CF) population is scarce. In a cross-sectional study, 114 (56 female, 58 male) adults with CF completed and returned a series of validated questionnaires that assessed CF-related quality of life, negative emotional states (depression, anxiety and stress), self-compassion, and self-criticism. Quality of life and self-compassion were positively correlated, and each in turn were inversely correlated with negative emotional states and self-criticism. Negative emotional states correlated positively to self-criticism. Self-compassion and/or self-criticism moderated ten relationships between various sub-domains of quality of life and negative emotions. Psychological interventions that increase self-compassion may be beneficial for enhancing mental health and quality of life for adults with CF.