Self-monitoring (SM) is used for observation, assessment and intervention in behavioral and health problems. In this study SM was used in the behavior assessment of a 44 year old female with an irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). During a period of 19 weeks this patient filled in daily SM forms related to general activities, bowel functioning and food intake, A not foreseen improvement of the symptoms was observed, which can be explained as a reactivity effect to SM. Initially, the activities of the participant occurred in a uninterruptedly manner and were associated with bowel constipation; with the SM recording the participant learned to interrupt her activities as response to signals of bowel movements, increasing, therefore, the frequency of defecation.
self-monitoring; reactivity; irritable bowel syndrome; functional analysis
