Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common, often debilitating gastrointestinal disorder
that occurs in approximately 10% of adults in Europe and North America (World
Gastrointestinal Disorder Global Guideline, 2009). The primary symptoms of IBS are chronic
abdominal pain and discomfort associated with a change in bowel function (Rome III Diagnostic
Criteria, 2012), but symptoms are often variable and do not have any evident peripheral
pathology. Irritable bowel syndrome is thought to be multifactorial in its etiology, and it is best
understood from a biopsychosocial perspective (Drossman, 1998). However, many facets of the
disorder remain unclear, which makes it difficult to find successful treatments. As a
consequence, many patients with IBS have high health-care costs (Longstreth et al., 2003), and
struggle with daily functioning and quality of life (Frank et al., 2002).
There is a substantial body of literature indicating that stressful life events (e.g., abuse,
divorce, relationship difficulties, and business failures) are common among patients with IBS
(Bennett, Tennant, Piesse, Badcock, & Kellow, 1998; Roelofs & Spinehoven, 2007). In addition,
daily hassles are associated with an increase in gastrointestinal symptoms (Levy, Cain, Jarrett, &
Heitkemper, 1997). Stressors, whether significant life events or recurrent daily hassles, may
dysregulate gastrointestinal functioning through the brain-gut axis, which links brain systems
that mediate cognition and emotion to the gastrointestinal system (Chang, 2011; Mayer,
Naliboff, Chang, & Coutinho, 2001; Mayer, 2000).
