The effects of relaxation response meditation on the symptoms of irritablebowel syndrome: results of a controlled treatment study

In this study, Herbert Benson's (1975) Relaxation Response Meditation progr am was tested as a possible treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). P articipants were 16 adults who were matched into pairs based on presence of Axis I disorder, primary IBS symptoms and demographic features and randomi zed to either a six week meditation condition or a six week wait list sympt om monitoring condition. Thirteen participants completed treatment and foll ow-up. All subjects assigned to the Wait List were subsequently treated. Pa tients in the treatment condition were taught the meditation technique and asked to practice it twice a day for 15 minutes. Composite Primary IBS Symp tom Reduction (CPSR) scores were calculated for each patient from end of ba seline to two weeks post-treatment (or to post wait list). One tailed indep endent sample t-tests revealed that Meditation was superior to the control (P=0.04). Significant within subject improvements were noted for flatulence (P=0.03) and belching (P=0.02) by post-treatment. By three month follow-up , significant improvements in flatulence (P <0.01), belching (P=0.02), bloa ting (P=0.05), and diarrhea (P=0.03) were shown by symptom diary. Constipat ion approached significance (P=0.07). Benson's Relaxation Response Meditati on appears to be a viable treatment for IBS. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.