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Publication
A cross-cultural perspective on psychological determinants of chronic fatigue syndrome: A comparison between a portuguese and a dutch patient sample
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Background Few studies focus on cross-cultural differences
in Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
Purpose This study aimed to (1) compare fatigue severity
and impairment, somatic complaints, psychological distress,
and quality of life (QoL) in a population of Portuguese and
Dutch patients; (2) explore the differential contribution of
behavioral and cognitive determinants of fatigue severity;
and (3) investigate the relation between fatigue severity and
somatic complaints on one hand and QoL on the other in
both populations.
Method Eighty-five female patients from Portugal (Mean age0
47.54) and 167 female CFS patients from The Netherlands
(Mean age044.93) participated in the study. All participants
were surveyed for demographic and clinical characteristics,
fatigue severity, somatic symptoms, psychological distress,
(physical and psychological) QoL, physical activity, behavior
regulation patterns, and illness representations.
Results Cross-cultural differences were found in relation to
working status, duration of fatigue symptoms, psychological
distress, somatic complaints, and psychological QoL. Although
behavioral characteristics and illness representations
were significantly associated with fatigue severity in both
Portuguese and Dutch patients, there were important differences
in the determinants of CFS. Moreover, higher levels
of fatigue and severity of other somatic complaints were
related to poor QoL.
Conclusions These findings show cross-cultural similarities
and differences in clinical characteristics and psychological
determinants of CFS that are important in view of diagnosis
and treatment.
Description
Keywords
Chronic fatigue syndrome Fatigue severity Psychological determinants Cross-cultural
Citation
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 20 (2), 229-238
Publisher
Springer