“…Even though there is emerging data that the presence of IBD‐specific anxiety has been linked to lowered quality of life, higher relapse rates, greater gastroenterology visits and emergency care, and increased disease activity (Bitton et al., ; Mittermaier et al., ; Reigada et al., ), disease concerns are rarely systematically assessed or targeted in medical or mental health treatment. Psychological interventions that have targeted illness perceptions in adolescents with IBD demonstrate that illness beliefs can be changed, resulting in improved perceptions of general health and physical functioning (Szigethy et al., ), more optimistic attitudes toward IBD (McLafferty et al., ), and more positive expectations of future course (Grootenhuis, Maurice‐Stam, Derkx, & Last, ).…”