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Fibromyalgic syndrome: depression and abnormal illness behavior. Multicenter investigation
M Ercolani1, G Trombini, R Chattat
1Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Bologna, Italia.
Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics
|January 1, 1994
Summary
Nearly half of fibromyalgia patients experience depression, according to this study. Fibromyalgia patients also exhibit distinct illness behaviors, correlating with depression symptoms, impacting treatment strategies.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Rheumatology
- Behavioral Medicine
Background:
- Fibromyalgia (FS) is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain and fatigue.
- Psychological symptoms, particularly depression, are frequently observed in FS patients.
- Understanding illness behavior is crucial for managing FS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess psychological symptoms in a large cohort of fibromyalgia patients.
- To investigate the relationship between depression and illness behavior patterns in FS.
- To explore implications for fibromyalgic patient treatment.
Main Methods:
- A multicenter study involving 327 fibromyalgia patients.
- Utilized the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale for depression screening.
- Employed the Illness Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ) to assess illness behavior patterns.
Main Results:
- Approximately 49% of fibromyalgia patients screened positive for depression using the CES-D scale (cutoff score of 23).
- Fibromyalgia patients demonstrated high scores on IBQ scales for disease conviction, psychological versus somatic focusing, and denial.
- Significant correlations were found between CES-D depression scores and various illness behavior scales.
Conclusions:
- Depression is highly prevalent in fibromyalgia patients.
- Specific illness behavior patterns are associated with fibromyalgia and correlate with depressive symptoms.
- These findings suggest the need for integrated psychological and behavioral interventions in fibromyalgia management.