Cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome Long-term follow-up and Internet-based treatment

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)/myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) was studied in this thesis. Healthy fatigue is temporarily and will generally resolve after a good night sleep or a holidays. However, when fatigue perseveres and disability in daily living develops, one may be classified as a patient with CFS/ME. Without treatment, chances to recover from CFS/ME are low.
The cognitive-behavioural model for CFS/ME assumes that behaviour and beliefs can perpetuate the syndrome. In short, when patients change CFS/ME perpetuating beliefs and gradually increase activity during CBT, patients can attain personal goals and reach fatigue scores within normal limits.
First, long term outcome of CBT for CFS/ME were tested. Also, it was tried to find predictors of these long term results. Secondly, the efficacy of CBT for less severe CFS/ME patients was determined. Thirdly, the efficacy and efficiency of an internet version of the regular CBT for CFS/ME was determined.
A large subgroup of well-treated patients with CBT could remain the benefits of treatment at long-term follow-up. Fatigue severity and the level of physical functioning at end of CBT, mainly predicted fatigue severity and physical functioning level at long term.
Patients with less severe symptoms that not fulfil full CFS/ME criteria could efficaciously be treated with a minimal (CBT-) intervention.
Finally, CBT for CFS/ME via internet was efficacious and time efficient. Spare therapist time can be reduced with internet CBT.