Abstract
Studies have reported that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Graded Exercise Therapy (GET) are effective treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). One hundred and seventy-one patients undertook a course of either CBT (n = 116) or GET (n = 55) and were assessed on a variety of self-report measures at pre- and posttreatment and follow-up. In this paper we present analyses on treatment outcomes for CBT and GET in routine clinical practice and evaluate whether changes on subscales of the Metacognitions Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30) predict fatigue severity independently of changes in other covariates, and across the two treatment modalities. Both CBT and GET were equally effective at decreasing fatigue, anxiety, and depression, and at increasing physical functioning. Changes on the subscales of the MCQ-30 were also found to have a significant effect on fatigue severity independently of changes in other covariates and across treatment modalities. The findings from the current study suggest that CFS treatment protocols for CBT and GET, based on those from the PACE trial, achieve similar to poorer outcomes in routine clinical practice as in a RCT.
Highlights
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a complex condition involving both biological and psychological dimensions
30) predict fatigue severity independently of changes in other covariates, and across the two treatment modalities. Both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Graded Exercise Therapy (GET) were effective at decreasing fatigue, anxiety, and depression, and at increasing physical functioning
The findings from the current study suggest that CFS treatment protocols for CBT and GET, based on those from the PACE trial, achieve similar-to-poorer outcomes in routine clinical practice as in a
Summary
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a complex condition involving both biological and psychological dimensions. The constellation of symptoms that result from this condition have a wide range of detrimental impacts on an individual’s quality of life. Any physical sign for the diagnosis of CFS, exists. CFS is a diagnosis of exclusion: it is made when it is has not been possible to attribute a patient’s symptoms to any other known disease process. CFS is characterised by the presence of a severe and disabling fatigue, both physical and mental, for at least 6 months, that is not life-long but has a definite onset (Sharpe et al, 1991). Studies have reported that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Graded Exercise Therapy (GET) are effective treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
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