Attributions, distress and behavioural responses in the significant others of people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

To test an attribution-emotion model of reactions to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME), 30 significant others of 30 adult patients with CFS/ME were administered a semi-structured interview about their beliefs regarding the patient’s illness, and completed questionnaire measures of distress and behavioural responses to the patient. Spontaneous causal explanations (attributions) for illness events, symptom exacerbation and negative patient mood were extracted and coded. Significant other distress and negative behavioural responses towards the CFS/ME patient were associated with attributing illness events to causes personal and internal to the patient. Our findings may inform future family–based interventions for CFS/ME.