Title: The Comparison of Anxiety Sensitivity and Happiness in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients with Normal Matched Group in Shiraz

Background & Objective: The purpose of this study was the comparison of anxiety sensitivity and happiness between patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and normal matched group. Materials & Methods: The Subjects were 35 (21 females and 14 male) IBS patients diagnosed by gastroenterologist and 35 (25 female and 10 males) normal matched group all in 14– 63 old age. Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI-R), Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ), and a checklist applied as measures of anxiety sensitivity, happiness and demographic information. Results: Data analysis indicates that IBS patients significantly are higher than matched group in fear of publicly observable symptoms (P= 0.032), fear of cardiovascular symptoms (P= 0.01), fear of gastrointestinal symptoms (P= 0.001), fear of dissociative and neurological symptoms (P= 0.018), & general anxiety sensitivity (P= 0.003), and lower in joy (P= 0.005), control (P= 0.008), self- esteem (P= 0.001) calm (P= 0.006) and general happiness (P= 0.001). Although no significant differences were found in life satisfaction (P= 0.083) & efficacy (P= 0.09), fear of respiratory symptoms (P= 0.067), and fear of cognitive control deficiency (p= 0.097). Conclusion: As a psychological variable anxiety sensitivity can predict treatment seeking of IBS patient, and happiness negatively influenced by both anxiety sensitivity and IBS.