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Chronic fatigue in the community: ‘A question of attribution’

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

T. Chalder ,
M. J. Power  and
S. Wessely
T. Chalder*
Affiliation:
Academic Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry and the Institute of Psychiatry, London; Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
M. J. Power
Affiliation:
Academic Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry and the Institute of Psychiatry, London; Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
S. Wessely
Affiliation:
Academic Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry and the Institute of Psychiatry, London; Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
*
1Address for correspondence: Trudie Chalder, Academic Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ.
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Synopsis

Thirty-eight subjects identified in a large community survey were found to attribute their fatigue to ‘myalgic encephalomyelitis’ (ME). They were matched randomly to two other groups of subjects who attributed their fatigue to either psychological or social factors. All three groups were followed up 18 months later and were asked to complete a series of questionnaires that examined fatigue, psychological distress, number of symptoms, attributional style and levels of disability. At onset the ‘ME’ group were found to be more fatigued, had been tired for longer but were less psychologically distressed than the other two groups. At follow-up the ‘ME’ group were more handicapped in relation to home, work, social and private leisure activities, even when controlling for both duration of fatigue and fatigue at time 1, but were less psychologically distressed. The relationships between psychological distress, specific illness attributions, attributional style and their effect on the experience of illness and its prognosis are discussed. Attributing fatigue to social reasons appears to be most protective.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 26 , Issue 4 , July 1996 , pp. 791 - 800
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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