Abstract
Constipation negatively affects quality of life (QOL), however, the specific mechanisms through which this relationship occurs are unclear. The present study examined anxiety and depression as potential mediators of the relationship between constipation severity and QOL in a sample of 142 constipated patients. Results indicated that depression symptom severity mediated the relationship between constipation severity and mental health-related QOL. For patients meeting diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder, indirect effects were observed in the relationship between constipation severity and both physical and mental health-related QOL. Anxiety did not contribute to this model. Treating depression may be useful in improving QOL in severely constipated patients, which highlights the importance of psychological screening and treatment referrals in primary care settings.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 123-132 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 2013 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Acknowledgements Supported by the University of California, San Francisco Hellman Family Award for Early Career Faculty.
Copyright:
Copyright 2013 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Keywords
- Anxiety
- Constipation
- Depression
- Quality of life (QOL)