Effectiveness of self-administered and minimal-contact psychotherapy in reducing irritable bowel syndrome symptom severity: a systematic review

Psychological treatments are effective in alleviating symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, many individuals living with IBS may find psychotherapy difficult to access due to barriers such as treatment costs, limited access to trained therapists, and scalability constraints. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate whether psychotherapeutic interventions that are self-administered or involve minimal contact with a therapist are effective in reducing the severity of symptoms in patients with IBS. A search using Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, SciELO and PsycINFO was conducted in January 2025. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. The primary outcome was overall IBS symptom severity, as assessed by any validated instrument. The only measures of this construct identified across the included studies were the IBS Symptom Severity Scale (IBS-SSS) and the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale – IBS version (GSRS-IBS). Of the 2428 studies identified, nine were included. Apart from one study of expressive writing, all other types of interventions were found to have positive effects in IBS severity. Cognitive-behavioural therapy-based interventions appear particularly promising for the treatment of IBS, as they have been more extensively studied and demonstrate long-term benefits. The findings indicate that self-administered and minimal-contact psychotherapeutic interventions can effectively reduce IBS symptom severity.