Managing Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) often results in significant life disruption, hospitalization and surgery. While psychosocial factors are not believed to cause IBD, such factors can contribute to the ability of individuals with IBD to cope with the disease, and ineffective coping may lead to the exacerbation of IBD symptoms. The goal of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a social learning and cognitive behavior therapy approach for treating children with IBD. The primary outcomes of interest are IBD symptoms, medical visits, quality of life, and overall disability.