Gender differences and defensive coping behavior in patients with inflammatory bowel disorders

INTRODUCTION: Inflammatory bowel disorders (IBD) are chronic diseases with severe course. In this regard, research aimed at identifying adaptive behavior styles potentially significant for individual resilience to disease-related stress is of particular importance OBJECTIVES: The study population included 45 patients with the inflammatory bowel disorders: 19 male, 26 female (mean age 36,0±4,8), whose clinical and experimental psychological characteristics were studied. METHODS: The following methods were used: ‘Life Style Index’ by R. Plutchik, Н. Kellerman, ‘Ways of Coping’ by R. Lazarus, S. Folkman. RESULTS: The experimental psychological study revealed interdependence of psychological defense mechanisms and coping behaviors. Thus, in female patients, such psychological defense mechanisms as ‘denial r=-0,51’ and ‘compensation г=-0,43’ showed negative correlation with ‘planning problem-solving’ coping strategy and positive correlation with such coping strategies, as ‘escape - avoidance г=0,38’ and ‘confrontation г=0,32’ р<0,05; in male patients, such psychological defense mechanisms as ‘regression г= -0,41;’ and ‘displacement г= -0,30’ demonstrated negative correlation with ‘planning problem-solving’ and ‘exercising self-control’, but positive correlation with such coping strategies, as ‘escape - avoidance г= 0,34’, ‘confrontation г= 0,40;’, р<0,05. Maladaptive attitude towards disease correlated with avoidance reactions in both male and female patients, which is indicated by the central rank position in disease coping structure of ‘confrontation’ coping strategy М=69,3±0,1, along with insufficient utilization of ‘planning problem-solving’ coping strategy М=39.3± 0,1, р< 0,001. CONCLUSIONS: The identified manifestations of psychological maladaptation in both male and female inflammatory bowel disorder patients are moderately pronounced, but require psychotherapeutic correction