Perceptual style and behavioral pattern of individuals with functional gastrointestinal disorders

Health Psychol. 2000 Mar;19(2):146-54. doi: 10.1037//0278-6133.19.2.146.

Abstract

The present research examined the perceptual style and coping pattern characterizing individuals with functional gastrointestinal disorders. A matched case-control design was adopted to compare differences among the target group of individuals with functional gastrointestinal disorders (n = 40), a pain control group of individuals with rheumatism (n = 40), and the community control group of healthy individuals (n = 40). Perceptual style was measured by both monitoring and blunting responses to hypothetical stressful situations, and coping pattern was measured by the use of coping strategies in real-life stressful events. Results revealed that participants with functional gastrointestinal disorders differed from their healthy and rheumatic counterparts in having higher monitoring and lower blunting scores and using action-oriented coping strategies regardless of the controllability of stressful situations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological*
  • Adult
  • Anxiety / psychology*
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Life Change Events
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Perception*
  • Pilot Projects