TY - JOUR
T1 - Telephone-based guided self-help for adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: A non-randomised cohort study
AU - Lloyd, Samantha
AU - Chalder, Trudie
AU - Sallis, Hannah M
AU - Rimes, Katharine A
PY - 2012/5
Y1 - 2012/5
N2 - The aim of this study was to gain preliminary evidence about the efficacy of a new telephone-based guided self-help intervention, based on cognitive-behavioural principles, which aimed to reduce fatigue and improve school attendance in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). A non-randomised cohort design was used, with a two-month baseline period. Sixty-three 11–18 year-old participants recruited from a specialist CFS unit received the intervention. Participants received six half-hour fortnightly telephone sessions and two follow-up sessions. Fatigue and school attendance were the main outcomes and the main time point for assessing outcome was 6 months post-treatment. Using multi-level modelling, a significant decrease in fatigue was found between pre-treatment and 6 month follow-up, treatment effect estimate = – 5.68 (−7.63, −3.72), a large effect size (Cohen's d = 0.79). The decrease in fatigue between pre and post-treatment was significantly larger than between baseline and pre-treatment. A significant increase in school attendance was found between pre-treatment and 6 month follow-up, effect estimate = 1.38 (0.76, 2.00), a medium effect size (d = −0.48). Univariate logistic regression found baseline perfectionism to be associated with poorer school attendance at six-month follow-up. In conclusion, telephone-based guided self-help is an acceptable minimal intervention which is efficacious in reducing fatigue in adolescents with CFS.
AB - The aim of this study was to gain preliminary evidence about the efficacy of a new telephone-based guided self-help intervention, based on cognitive-behavioural principles, which aimed to reduce fatigue and improve school attendance in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). A non-randomised cohort design was used, with a two-month baseline period. Sixty-three 11–18 year-old participants recruited from a specialist CFS unit received the intervention. Participants received six half-hour fortnightly telephone sessions and two follow-up sessions. Fatigue and school attendance were the main outcomes and the main time point for assessing outcome was 6 months post-treatment. Using multi-level modelling, a significant decrease in fatigue was found between pre-treatment and 6 month follow-up, treatment effect estimate = – 5.68 (−7.63, −3.72), a large effect size (Cohen's d = 0.79). The decrease in fatigue between pre and post-treatment was significantly larger than between baseline and pre-treatment. A significant increase in school attendance was found between pre-treatment and 6 month follow-up, effect estimate = 1.38 (0.76, 2.00), a medium effect size (d = −0.48). Univariate logistic regression found baseline perfectionism to be associated with poorer school attendance at six-month follow-up. In conclusion, telephone-based guided self-help is an acceptable minimal intervention which is efficacious in reducing fatigue in adolescents with CFS.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84859567634&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2012.02.014
U2 - 10.1016/j.brat.2012.02.014
DO - 10.1016/j.brat.2012.02.014
M3 - Article
SN - 0005-7967
VL - 50
SP - 304
EP - 312
JO - Behaviour Research and Therapy
JF - Behaviour Research and Therapy
IS - 5
ER -
