Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Box 356560, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
J Behav Med. 2009 Dec;32(6):558-69. doi: 10.1007/s10865-009-9234-3. Epub 2009 Nov 14.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and unexplained chronic fatigue (CF) are characterized by compromised functional status and physical disability. Prior research on chronic pain has suggested that social factors may contribute to disability. This study examined the relationship between significant other responses and patient outcomes in patients with unexplained CF. Questionnaire data were collected from 117 patients on physical function, fatigue, pain, illness behaviors and responses of significant others to them, and depression. Ninety-four SOs reported their perceptions of patient illness behavior and their responses. Thirty-seven of these dyads also completed a series of household activities while being videotaped. Dyadic interactions were coded and analyzed. Both reported and observed solicitous responses by the significant other were associated with reported and observed patient illness behavior. Negative responses to patient illness behavior by significant others were associated with higher levels of patient depressive symptoms. The findings provide support for the role of operant behavioral factors in the context of chronic fatigue. They also suggest that further research on the relationship between dysfunction and significant other responses in patients with CFS or CF appears warranted and may have implications for treatment development.
慢性疲劳综合征（CFS）和不明原因的慢性疲劳（CF）的特点是功能状态受损和身体残疾。先前关于慢性疼痛的研究表明，社会因素可能导致残疾。本研究探讨了不明原因 CF 患者的重要他人反应与患者结局之间的关系。从 117 名患者那里收集了关于身体功能、疲劳、疼痛、疾病行为以及重要他人对这些行为的反应和抑郁的问卷数据。94 名 SO 报告了他们对患者疾病行为的看法以及他们的反应。其中 37 对夫妇还在被录像的同时完成了一系列家务活动。对对偶互动进行了编码和分析。重要他人的报告和观察到的关心反应与报告和观察到的患者疾病行为有关。重要他人对患者疾病行为的负面反应与患者抑郁症状的严重程度有关。这些发现为慢性疲劳背景下操作性行为因素的作用提供了支持。它们还表明，进一步研究 CFS 或 CF 患者的功能障碍与重要他人反应之间的关系似乎是有必要的，并且可能对治疗发展有影响。
