Examining types of fatigue among individuals with ME/CFS – Source: Disability Studies Quarterly, 2009

[Note: to read the free full text of this report, testing a fatigue-assessment tool the team developed which differentiates ME/CFS fatigue from other fatigue states, click here.]

Severe, persisting fatigue is a prominent symptom of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), but individuals with this illness frequently report the occurrence of unique fatigue states that might be different from conventional symptoms of fatigue.

The present study attempted to assess a comprehensive set of fatigue symptoms that have been commonly reported among patients with ME/CFS.

A 22-item fatigue questionnaire was developed [the “ME/CFS Fatigue Types Questionnaire”] and administered to 130 persons diagnosed with ME/CFS and 251 controls. Adequate scale reliability was found.

Factor analyses revealed a five-factor structure for participants with ME/CFS but only a one-factor solution for the control group.

The new scale was also contrasted with other more traditional scales developed to measure fatigue.

Findings suggest that individuals with ME/CFS experience different types of fatigue than what are reported in the general population.

Source: Disability Studies Quarterly, 2009;29(3), by Jason, L.A., Jessen, T., Porter, N, Boulton, A, Njoku, MG, & Friedberg, F. DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois;Stony Brook University, New York, USA. [E-mail: ljason@depaul.edu]