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Short-term group therapy for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome
1Huddinge University Hospital, M42, SE-141 86 Huddinge, Sweden. stina.soderberg@hs.sll.se
Background:
This study presents experiences of focused short-term group therapy for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
Methods:
Fourteen women diagnosed as CFS patients were randomly placed into two groups. The control group received group therapy 5 months after the first group. The project consisted of 10 group sessions of 1.5 h per week. Sense of coherence (SOC) was used for measuring coping resources, and self-rating scales of quality of life and of fatigue were compared before and after group therapy.
Results:
The most valuable aspect was the sharing of experiences. More than half of the patients also felt that the sessions had improved psychological well-being through adjustment of ambitions and improved coping with symptoms.
Conclusion:
The study encourages further research. If group therapy is chosen as treatment for these patients, a longer period is recommended. A possible alternative is individualized short-term therapy adapted to each patient's needs, problems and circumstances.