Comparison of the Effectiveness of Suffering Management Training for People with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Emotional Efficacy Therapy on Life Suffering and Affective Capital

Abstract

Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) require psychological treatments in addition to medical interventions. Accordingly, the present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Suffering Management Training (SMT) and Emotional Efficacy Therapy (EET) on life suffering and affective capital in individuals with IBS. This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest–posttest–follow-up design and a control group. The statistical population included all IBS patients referred to gastrointestinal clinics in Isfahan during the winter of 2025. From this population, 60 patients were purposively selected and assigned to three groups (20 participants per group). The Perceived Suffering Scale (Schulz et al., 2010) and the Affective Capital Questionnaire (Golparvar, 2016) were used to measure the dependent variables at all three stages. The two experimental groups received either SMT or EET in eight sessions, each lasting between 75 to 95 minutes, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test via SPSS version 26. The results revealed significant differences between both the SMT and EET groups compared to the control group regarding life suffering and affective capital (p < .05). Specifically, SMT was more effective than EET in reducing life suffering and increasing affective capital. Given the effectiveness of Suffering Management Training in alleviating life suffering and enhancing affective capital among IBS patients, it is recommended that this intervention be integrated into therapeutic practices alongside medical treatments in healthcare settings.