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Mental quality of life in chronic fatigue is associated with an accommodative coping style and neuroticism: a path analysis

Abstract

Purpose  

An accommodative coping style (e.g. acceptance) is related to a better mental health-related quality of life (MHQL) in patients
with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). We want to explore whether neuroticism is predictive for this coping style and MHQL.
Secondly we want to explore the relation between acceptance and physical health-related quality of life (PHQL) and expect
that illness-related variables such as fatigue severity and duration are related to PHQL.

Method  

In this cross-sectional study, 117 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome from an outpatient internal medicine clinic completed
self-report questionnaires on quality of life (SF-36), acceptance (ICQ), personality traits (NEO-FFI) and fatigue severity
(CIS).

Results  

Regression analyses showed that neuroticism and acceptance are predictors of MHQL (38% of the variance was explained). The
path analysis showed that acceptance mediates between neuroticism and MHQL and that PHQL is related to MHQL. PHQL is related
to fatigue severity and duration, but not to neuroticism and acceptance.

Conclusion  

Stimulating an ‘accepting accommodative coping style’ within the treatment for CFS is important in improving mental quality
of life. Our results suggest that neuroticism may be negatively related to acceptance and MHQL. This findings support the
idea that a psychological diagnostic workout with special attention to personality traits in relation to their coping style
is recommended in order to choose the most appropriate therapeutic approach in this population.

  • Content Type Journal Article
  • Pages 1-9
  • DOI 10.1007/s11136-011-0048-8
  • Authors
    • Carine Poppe, Department of General Internal Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
    • Geert Crombez, Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
    • Ignace Hanoulle, Department of General Internal Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
    • Dirk Vogelaers, Department of General Internal Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
    • Mirko Petrovic, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium