Levels of Anxiety in Colonic Disorders

Abstract

Levels of anxiety and neuroticism were assessed in patients with the irritable-colon syndrome, and compared with levels in patients with ulcerative colitis and general medical patients. Assessment of the level of anxiety was based on psychometric testing with the use of the Institute for Personality and Ability Testing anxiety-scale questionnaire, and on the urinary excretion of epinephrine under stressful conditions. The level of neuroticism was derived from testing with the Eysenck personality inventory. Patients with the irritable-colon syndrome who had predominantly diarrhea were significantly more anxious and more neurotic than the control population of general medical patients. Patients with ulcerative colitis, and patients with the irritable-colon syndrome who had predominantly abdominal pain, did not differ significantly from the control group in these dimensions of personality.