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The role of the partner and relationship satisfaction on treatment outcome in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2015

J. Verspaandonk ,
M. Coenders ,
G. Bleijenberg ,
J. Lobbestael  and
H. Knoop
J. Verspaandonk*
Affiliation:
Expert Centre for Chronic Fatigue, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
M. Coenders
Affiliation:
Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
G. Bleijenberg
Affiliation:
Expert Centre for Chronic Fatigue, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
J. Lobbestael
Affiliation:
Faculty of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, The Netherlands and RINO Zuid, Postdoctoral Education Institute, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
H. Knoop
Affiliation:
Expert Centre for Chronic Fatigue, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
*
* Address for correspondence: J. Verspaandonk, MSc, Expert Centre for Chronic Fatigue, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Background

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) leads to a significant decrease in CFS-related symptoms and disability. The primary objective of this study was to explore whether partners’ solicitous responses and patients’ and partners’ perceived relationship satisfaction had an effect on treatment outcome.

Method

The treatment outcome of a cohort of 204 consecutively referred patients treated with CBT was analysed. At baseline, CFS patients completed the Maudsley Marital Questionnaire. The Checklist Individual Strength subscale Fatigue and the Sickness Impact Profile total scores completed by CFS patients post-treatment were used as measures of clinically significant improvement. Partners completed the Family Response Questionnaire, the Maudsley Marital Questionnaire, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and the Causal Attribution List. Logistic regression analyses were performed with clinically significant improvement in fatigue and disability as dependent variables and scores on questionnaires at baseline as predictors.

Results

Solicitous responses of the partner were associated with less clinically significant improvement in fatigue and disability. Partners more often reported solicitous responses when they perceived CFS as a severe condition. Patients’ relationship dissatisfaction was negatively associated with clinically significant improvement in fatigue.

Conclusions

Partners’ solicitous responses and illness perceptions at the start of the therapy can negatively affect the outcome of CBT for CFS. We emphasize the importance of addressing this in therapy.

Keywords

Chronic fatigue syndromecognitive behavioural modelcognitive behavioural therapyillness perceptionspartner relationshippartners' responsesrelationship satisfactionsocial support
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 45 , Issue 11 , August 2015 , pp. 2345 - 2352
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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