Erratum in: Behav Res Ther. 2013 Aug;51(8):518.
Abstract:
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 better [corrected] 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.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Source: Lloyd S, Chalder T, Sallis HM, Rimes KA. Telephone-based guided self-help for adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: A non-randomised cohort study. Behav Res Ther. 2012 May;50(5):304-12. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2012.02.014. Epub 2012 Mar 10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22459729