An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Psychotherapy in the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: JOHN F. O'CONNOR
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1964)

Article1 April 1964An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Psychotherapy in the Treatment of Ulcerative ColitisJOHN F. O'CONNOR, M.D., GEORGE DANIELS, M.D., CHARLES FLOOD, M.D., AARON KARUSH, M.D., LEON MOSES, M.D., LENORE O. STERNJOHN F. O'CONNOR, M.D., GEORGE DANIELS, M.D., CHARLES FLOOD, M.D., AARON KARUSH, M.D., LEON MOSES, M.D., LENORE O. STERNAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-60-4-587 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptUlcerative colitis is a chronic, non-specific disease characterized by inflammation and ulceration of the colon and accompanied by systemic manifestations. Its course is marked by remissions and exacerbations; its etiology has been variously attributed to allergic, genetic, infectious, psychological and vascular causes (1-5). Psychological factors seem to play a particularly important role in both the onset of the individual exacerbation and in determining the patient's response to, and handling of, this illness.Ulcerative colitis is frequently associated with other systemic processes such as arthritis and skin disease (6-11). The clinical picture varies with the acuteness of the process, and prognosis...References1. ENGEL GL: Biologic and psychologic features of the ulcerative colitis patient. Gastroenterology 40: 313, 1961. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. KRAFTBREGMANKIRSNER SCEJB: Criteria for evaluating autoimmune phenomena in ulcerative colitis. Gastroenterology 43: 330, 1962. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. PALUMBOBURNSIDEMOSSHOLDERJENSEN LTRIB: Ulcerative colitis. Amer. J. Nurs. 55: 311, 1955. MedlineGoogle Scholar4. TEXTOR EC: Natural history of ulcerative colitis. J. Chronic Dis. 5: 347, 1957. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. 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Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: New York, New YorkFrom the Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine and the Psychoanalytic Clinic for Training and Research, Columbia University, New York, New York.This investigation was supported in part by a research grant from the Hazel Hopkins Ford Fund, the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation, the Adele R. Levy Research Gift, the Association for Psychoanalytic Medicine, the National Institute of Mental Health, Public Health Service, Federal Security Agency.Requests for reprints should be addressed to John F. O'Connor, M.D., Department of Psychiatry, Presbyterian Hospital, 8th Floor, Rm 835, 622 West 168th Street, New York 32, N.Y.The term psychotherapy, as used in this paper, refers to various methods of treatment ranging from short-term directive, environmentally oriented therapy to psychoanalysis. 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