Acceptance &amp; Commitment Therapy for ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) – A feasibility study

Jonsjö, Martin A.; Wicksell, Rikard K.; Holmström, Linda; Andréasson, Anna; Olsson, Gunnar

doi:10.1016/j.jcbs.2019.02.008

Cited by 19 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 125 publications

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“…Narratives from our participants suggest that ideas from mindfulness (living in the present moment without judgment), the body positivity or neutrality movements (which advocate the acceptance of all bodies no matter what their appearance or functionality), and focusing on happiness or meaning in life (e.g., Seligman) could provide alternative frameworks to explore with patients. Research has also shown that acceptance and commitment therapy, which has a focus on the individual’s life values and goals, can be helpful for CFS/ME (Jonsjö et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sick of the Sick Role: Narratives of What “Recovery” Means to People With CFS/ME

et al. 2020

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Little is known about what recovery means to those with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, a poorly understood, disabling chronic health condition. To explore this issue, semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients reporting improvement ( n = 9) and deterioration ( n = 10) after a guided self-help intervention, and analyzed via “constant comparison.” The meaning of recovery differed between participants—expectations for improvement and deployment of the sick role (and associated stigma) were key influences. While some saw recovery as complete freedom from symptoms, many defined it as freedom from the “sick role,” with functionality prioritized. Others redefined recovery, reluctant to return to the lifestyle that may have contributed to their illness, or rejected the concept as unhelpful. Recovery is not always about eliminating all symptoms. Rather, it is a nexus between the reality of limited opportunities for full recovery, yet a strong desire to leave the illness behind and regain a sense of “normality.”

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sick of the Sick Role: Narratives of What “Recovery” Means to People With CFS/ME

et al. 2020

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“…Such a result would fit with the theoretical underpinnings of the ACT model and thus indicates the validity of ACT as a treatment model for chronic fatigue. As there is a growing literature showing the potential of the ACT model (Jonsjö, Wicksell, Holmström, Andreasson & Olsson, 2019; Simister, Tkachuk, Shay, Vincent, Pear & Skrabek, 2018), these results warrant a rigorous comparison with CBT when it comes to the treatment of chronic fatigue.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Effectiveness of an ACT‐based rehabilitation program for the treatment of chronic fatigue: Results from a 12‐months longitudinal study

Brugnera

Jacobsen

Woodhouse

et al. 2020

Scandinavian J Psychology

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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is potentially effective for treating chronic fatigue. Given the paucity of studies on this topic, we aimed to assess long‐term trajectories of primary (fatigue, quality of life and functional abilities) and secondary outcomes (anxious and depressive symptoms) of an ACT‐based rehabilitation program for patients with chronic fatigue. Further, we examined if changes in potential process variables (psychological inflexibility, metacognitive beliefs, and cognitive and behavioral responses to symptoms) during ACT predicted change in all outcomes across follow‐up. One‐hundred ninety‐five workers on sick leave (mean age: 43.61 ± 9.33 years; 80.5% females) with a diagnosis of chronic fatigue were enrolled in a manualized, 3.5‐week intensive return‐to‐work rehabilitation program based on ACT. All completed a battery of questionnaires at pre‐, post‐treatment, 6 and 12 months follow‐up. We found significant longitudinal changes in most primary and secondary outcomes from pre‐ up to 12 months follow‐up. All process variables significantly decreased from pre‐ up to 12 months follow‐up, and pre‐to‐post changes in fear avoidance beliefs were most often associated with a greater change in outcomes across follow‐up. Depressive symptomatology showed a similar trajectory of change to fatigue, meaning that scores were correlated at each time point and tended to converge over time. This suggests that both symptoms influence each other substantially over a year following the treatment. Concluding, results lend support to the effectiveness of an ACT‐based rehabilitation program for patients with chronic fatigue and provide preliminary evidence for the role of process variables and depressive symptomatology on subsequent change in outcomes.

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“…After removing duplicates, 270 were screened using title and abstracts, and 47 references were considered relevant for full-text screening. Considering the a priori inclusion criteria and obtaining additional clarifying information from authors of some of the references, twelve studies (17 reports) were ultimately included [ 10 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 ]. The flow of studies through the screening process of the review is shown in Figure 1 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One manuscript presented a brief report of three studies in which one was a prospective RCT and the other two were single-arm experimental studies [ 29 ]. Five additional publications were also single-arm experimental studies [ 10 , 38 , 42 , 43 , 44 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Systematic Review of Mind-Body Interventions to Treat Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

et al. 2021

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Background and Objectives: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic condition distinguished by disabling fatigue associated with post-exertional malaise, as well as changes to sleep, autonomic functioning, and cognition. Mind-body interventions (MBIs) utilize the ongoing interaction between the mind and body to improve health and wellbeing. Purpose: To systematically review studies using MBIs for the treatment of ME/CFS symptoms. Materials and Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched (inception to September 2020). Interventional studies on adults diagnosed with ME/CFS, using one of the MBIs in comparison with any placebo, standard of care treatment or waitlist control, and measuring outcomes relevant to the signs and symptoms of ME/CFS and quality of life were assessed for inclusion. Characteristics and findings of the included studies were summarized using a descriptive approach. Results: 12 out of 382 retrieved references were included. Seven studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with one including three reports (1 RCT, 2 single-arms); others were single-arm trials. Interventions included mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, relaxation, Qigong, cognitive-behavioral stress management, acceptance and commitment therapy and isometric yoga. The outcomes measured most often were fatigue severity, anxiety/depression, and quality of life. Fatigue severity and symptoms of anxiety/depression were improved in nine and eight studies respectively, and three studies found that MBIs improved quality of life. Conclusions: Fatigue severity, anxiety/depression and physical and mental functioning were shown to be improved in patients receiving MBIs. However, small sample sizes, heterogeneous diagnostic criteria, and a high risk of bias may challenge this result. Further research using standardized outcomes would help advance the field.

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Acceptance & Commitment Therapy for ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) – A feasibility study

Cited by 19 publications

References 125 publications

Sick of the Sick Role: Narratives of What “Recovery” Means to People With CFS/ME

Sick of the Sick Role: Narratives of What “Recovery” Means to People With CFS/ME

Effectiveness of an ACT‐based rehabilitation program for the treatment of chronic fatigue: Results from a 12‐months longitudinal study

Systematic Review of Mind-Body Interventions to Treat Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

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