[Functional gastrointestinal diseases. Psychotherapy is an efficient complement to drug therapy].

An emerging body of data support the efficacy of psychological treatments in functional gastrointestinal disorders. Twenty-two studies that used a controlled design to compare psychological treatment with conventional medical treatment and/or supportive therapy were reviewed. Most of the research to date has focused on irritable bowel syndrome. In terms of reduction of bowel symptoms, 19 studies showed statistically significant superiority of psychological over conventional treatment at the end of treatment and/or at follow-up. Of 12 studies with follow-up data, 8 showed superiority of psychological treatment. Another 8 studies with follow-up data only for those who received psychotherapy, showed further improvement or that gains were maintained after completion of treatment. In conclusion, psychological treatment appears superior to conventional treatment. Successful outcomes have been observed with dynamic psychotherapy, hypnosis, cognitive-behavior therapy, and relaxation training. Differences in outcomes based on specific treatment techniques have not been studied. Thus, given the current state of knowledge, psychotherapists should use the technique with which they are most experienced.