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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Cognitive, Behavioural and Emotional Processing Vulnerability Factors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2017

Samantha K. Brooks ,
Trudie Chalder  and
Katharine A. Rimes
Samantha K. Brooks
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Weston Education Centre, Cutcombe Road, London SE5 9RJ
Trudie Chalder
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Weston Education Centre, Cutcombe Road, London SE5 9RJ
Katharine A. Rimes*
Affiliation:
King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Henry Wellcome Building, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF
*
*Reprint requests to Dr Katharine Rimes, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Henry Wellcome Building, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Background: Cognitive-behavioural models of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) suggest that personality factors such as perfectionism and high moral standards may contribute to the development of CFS. Aims: To investigate cognitive, behavioural and emotional processing risk factors for CFS. Method: CFS patients (n = 67) at a UK specialist clinic completed questionnaires about psychological characteristics both currently and retrospectively (6 months pre-CFS onset). Responses were compared with those of healthy individuals (n = 73) who rated their current characteristics. Forty-four relatives retrospectively rated the pre-morbid psychological characteristics of the CFS participants. Results: CFS patients showed similar levels of current perfectionism to controls, though higher pre-morbid perfectionism. CFS patients showed greater self-sacrificial beliefs and more unhelpful beliefs about experiencing and expressing negative emotions, both currently but more markedly prior to onset. In the 6 months pre-illness onset, CFS patients showed more disruption to their primary goal and greater general stress than controls. Ratings of pre-morbid psychological characteristics by relatives were consistent with patients’ self-reports. The extent of overinvestment in one goal was significantly associated with fatigue. Conclusions: Perfectionism, self-sacrificial tendencies, unhelpful beliefs about emotions, and perceived stress may be present to a greater extent pre-morbidly in CFS patients compared with healthy individuals.

Keywords

Chronic fatiguebeliefsgoalsperfectionismpredictors
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 45 , Issue 2 , March 2017 , pp. 156 - 169
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2017 

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