Coping and other predictors of outcome in chronic fatigue syndrome: a 1-year follow-up.

Observed Findings

• Nearly two-thirds (approximately 67%) of patients reported improvement on direct ratings of change over one year
• Illness duration, subjective cognitive difficulty, and somatic symptom burden independently predicted worse fatigue and functional impairment at follow-up
• Anxiety, depression, and general emotional distress showed no significant influence on fatigue or impairment outcomes
• Behavioral disengagement and low internal locus of control predicted greater functional impairment
• Perceived control moderated the relationship between illness accommodation and both fatigue and impairment outcomes

Inferred Conclusions

• Interventions that reduce activity avoidance or enhance perceived control over one's condition could potentially improve ME/CFS outcomes
• Psychological distress (anxiety/depression) may not be a primary determinant of disease progression in ME/CFS, suggesting that emotional interventions alone may be insufficient
• Belief in one's ability to influence outcomes is a protective factor that could buffer against the negative effects of illness accommodation
• ME/CFS-specific factors (cognitive complaints, somatic symptoms, disease duration) are more predictive of outcomes than general psychopathology

Remaining Questions