'Maybe it's a virus?': beliefs about viruses, symptom attributional style and psychological health

A questionnaire concerning beliefs about viruses was devised and validated as part of a study investigating the relationship between such attitudes, symptom attributional style and psychological morbidity in 283 general practice attenders. It was found, contrary to expectation, that those who believed they were powerless in the face of viruses were more likely to have higher psychological distress and to blame physical symptoms on emotional and psychological factors. Age, sex and the presence of an infective illness exerted only minor effects. Such data are informative in testing hypotheses regarding the development of illnesses where there is a strong belief in a viral aetiology, but where psychological factors are present, such as the post-viral fatigue syndrome.