Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Functional gastrointestinal diseases and psychological maladjustment, pers onality traits 
and quality of life  
 
Version: 0 Date: 19 Sep 2017 
 
Reviewer:  Craig  Friesen  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
Please include all comments for the authors in this box rather than uploading your report as an 
attachment. P lease only upload as attachments annotated versions of manuscripts, graphs, 
supporting materials or other aspects of your report which cannot be included in a text format.  
 
Please overwrite this text when adding your comments to the authors.  
 
This is a well  designed and well written manuscript regarding an area of interest. Limitations are 
well discussed. The manuscript provides some novel information of value to those interested in 
this subject. I have only 2 comments and both should be viewed as relatively  minor:  
 
1. In the Methods (last paragraph, pg. 9), it states those with evidence suggestive of possible 
organic pathologies during the initial evaluation were referred for further evaluation. Please 
include information regarding how many were referred for  further evaluation and how many 
were ultimately excluded for organic pathology. As written, it appears that 53 were excluded but 
only for questionnaires having inadequate information (1st paragraph of results, pg. 11).  
 
2. In the discussion (lines 31 -39 o f pg. 15), the authors discuss that personality traits were 
generally (with one exception) not different between subjects with FD and controls and that this 
was most likely due to the small number of subjects with FD. It would be helpful to include 
effect size calculations to give the reader a better idea of whether this is a sample size issue or 
possibly a true finding as this is would be interesting, particularly if IBS but not FD differs from 
controls.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to th e editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before be ing published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any  stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing i nterests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
I agree to the  open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published . 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Functional gastrointestinal diseases and psychological maladjustment, pers onality traits 
and quality of life  
 
Version: 0 Date: 19 Sep 2017 
 
Reviewer:  Craig  Friesen  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
Please include all comments for the authors in this box rather than uploading your report as an 
attachment. P lease only upload as attachments annotated versions of manuscripts, graphs, 
supporting materials or other aspects of your report which cannot be included in a text format.  
 
Please overwrite this text when adding your comments to the authors.  
 
This is a well  designed and well written manuscript regarding an area of interest. Limitations are 
well discussed. The manuscript provides some novel information of value to those interested in 
this subject. I have only 2 comments and both should be viewed as relatively  minor:  
 
1. In the Methods (last paragraph, pg. 9), it states those with evidence suggestive of possible 
organic pathologies during the initial evaluation were referred for further evaluation. Please 
include information regarding how many were referred for  further evaluation and how many 
were ultimately excluded for organic pathology. As written, it appears that 53 were excluded but 
only for questionnaires having inadequate information (1st paragraph of results, pg. 11).  
 
2. In the discussion (lines 31 -39 o f pg. 15), the authors discuss that personality traits were 
generally (with one exception) not different between subjects with FD and controls and that this 
was most likely due to the small number of subjects with FD. It would be helpful to include 
effect size calculations to give the reader a better idea of whether this is a sample size issue or 
possibly a true finding as this is would be interesting, particularly if IBS but not FD differs from 
controls.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to th e editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before be ing published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any  stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing i nterests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
I agree to the  open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published . 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Functional gastrointestinal diseases and psychological maladjustment, pers onality traits 
and quality of life  
 
Version: 0 Date: 19 Sep 2017 
 
Reviewer:  Craig  Friesen  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
Please include all comments for the authors in this box rather than uploading your report as an 
attachment. P lease only upload as attachments annotated versions of manuscripts, graphs, 
supporting materials or other aspects of your report which cannot be included in a text format.  
 
Please overwrite this text when adding your comments to the authors.  
 
This is a well  designed and well written manuscript regarding an area of interest. Limitations are 
well discussed. The manuscript provides some novel information of value to those interested in 
this subject. I have only 2 comments and both should be viewed as relatively  minor:  
 
1. In the Methods (last paragraph, pg. 9), it states those with evidence suggestive of possible 
organic pathologies during the initial evaluation were referred for further evaluation. Please 
include information regarding how many were referred for  further evaluation and how many 
were ultimately excluded for organic pathology. As written, it appears that 53 were excluded but 
only for questionnaires having inadequate information (1st paragraph of results, pg. 11).  
 
2. In the discussion (lines 31 -39 o f pg. 15), the authors discuss that personality traits were 
generally (with one exception) not different between subjects with FD and controls and that this 
was most likely due to the small number of subjects with FD. It would be helpful to include 
effect size calculations to give the reader a better idea of whether this is a sample size issue or 
possibly a true finding as this is would be interesting, particularly if IBS but not FD differs from 
controls.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to th e editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before be ing published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any  stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing i nterests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
I agree to the  open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published . 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
assistant