This study investigated significant others’ behavior associated with fatigue, pain, and mental health outcomes among 68 individuals with chronic fatigue (43% also had fibromyalgia) over 18 months. More negative significant others’ responses were associated with more pain, poorer physical and mental health, and more fatigue-related symptoms over time. More fibromyalgia tender points covaried with more solicitous significant others’ responses over time. Better mental health covaried with more distracting significant others’ responses over time. The results are discussed in terms of theoretical models of the role of perceived significant others’ responses on patient outcomes and recommendations for future research.
AaronLABurkeMMBuchwaldD (2000) Overlapping conditions among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and temporomandibular disorder. Archives of Internal Medicine160: 221–227.
2.
Ballús-CreusCRangelMVPeñarroyaA, et al. (2014) Expressed emotion among relatives of chronic pain patients, the interaction between relatives’ behaviours and patients’ pain experience. International Journal of Social Psychiatry60(2): 197–205.
3.
BandRBarrowcloughCWeardenA (2014) The impact of significant other expressed emotion on patient outcomes in chronic fatigue syndrome. Health Psychology33(9): 1092–1101.
4.
BandRBarrowcloughCEmsleyR, et al. (2016) Significant other behavioural responses and patient chronic fatigue syndrome symptom fluctuations in the context of daily life: An experience sampling study. British Journal of Health Psychology21(3): 499–514.
5.
BandRWeardenABarrowcloughC (2015) Patient outcomes in association with significant other responses to chronic fatigue syndrome: A systematic review of the literature. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice22(1): 29–46.
6.
BernardyKKlosePBuschAJ, et al. (2013) Cognitive behavioural therapies for fibromyalgia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews9: CD009796.
7.
BrooksJMDaglishJWeardenAJ (2013) Attributions, distress and behavioural responses in the significant others of people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Journal of Health Psychology18(10): 1288–1295.
8.
BrownGWMonckEMCarstairsGM, et al. (1962) Influence of family life on the course of schizophrenic illness. British Journal of Preventive & Social Medicine16(2): 55–68.
9.
BrownMMJasonLA (2007) Functioning in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome: Increased impairment with co-occurring multiple chemical sensitivity and fibromyalgia. Dynamic Medicine6: 6.
10.
BuenaverLFEdwardsRRHaythornthwaiteJA (2007) Pain-related catastrophizing and perceived social responses: Inter-relationship in the context of chronic pain. Pain127: 234–242.
11.
CairnsRHotopfM (2005) A systematic review describing the prognosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. Occupational Medicine55: 20–31.
12.
CampbellPJordanKPDunnKM (2012) The role of relationship quality and perceived partner responses with pain and disability in those with back pain. Pain Medicine13: 204–214.
13.
CanoA (2004) Pain catastrophizing and social support in married individuals with chronic pain: The moderating role of pain duration. Pain110: 656–664.
14.
CanoAWilliamsAC (2010) Social interaction in pain: Reinforcing pain behaviors or building intimacy?Pain149(1): 9–11.
15.
CanoABarterianJAHellerJB (2008) Empathic and nonempathic interaction in chronic pain couples. Clinical Journal of Pain24: 678–684.
16.
CanoAGillisMHeinzW, et al. (2004) Marital functioning, chronic pain, and psychological distress. Pain107: 99–106.
17.
CanoAJohansenABFranzA (2005) Multilevel analysis of couple congruence on pain, interference, and disability. Pain118(3): 369–379.
18.
CicconeDSChandlerHKNatelsonBH (2010) Illness trajectories in the chronic fatigue syndrome: A longitudinal study of improvers versus non-improvers. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease198: 486–493.
19.
CordinglyLWeardenAApplebyL, et al. (2001) The Family Response Questionnaire: A new scale to assess the responses of family members to people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Journal of Psychosomatic Research51: 417–424.
20.
DansieEJFurbergHAfariN, et al. (2012) Conditions comorbid with chronic fatigue in a population-based sample. Psychosomatics53: 44–50.
21.
EndersCK (2010) Applied Missing Data Analysis. New York: Guilford Press.
22.
FordyceWE (1976) Behavioral Methods for Chronic Pain and Illness. St. Louis, MO: Mosby.
23.
ForsethKØFørreØGranJT (1999) A 5.5 prospective study of self-reported musculoskeletal pain and of fibromyalgia in a female population: Significance and natural history. Clinical Rheumatology18: 114–121.
24.
ForsytheLPRomanoJMJensenMP, et al. (2012) Attachment style is associated with perceived spouse responses and pain-related outcomes. Rehabilitation Psychology57: 290–300.
25.
FukudaKStrausSEHickieI, et al. (1994) The chronic fatigue syndrome: A comprehensive approach to its definition and study. International Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Study Group. Annals of Internal Medicine121: 953–959.
26.
GauthierNThibaultPSullivanMJL (2008) Individual and relationship correlates of pain-related empathetic accuracy in spouse of chronic pain patients. Clinical Journal of Pain24: 669–677.
27.
GoldenbergDLSimmsRWGeigerA, et al. (1990) High frequency of fibromyalgia in patients with chronic fatigue seen in a primary care practice. Arthritis and Rheumatism33: 381–387.
28.
GrahamJW (2009) Missing data analysis: Making it work in the real world. Annual Review of Psychology60: 549–576.
29.
HeckRHThomasSLTabataLN (2014) Multilevel and Longitudinal Modeling with IBM SPSS (2nd edn). New York: Routledge.
30.
Institute of Medicine (2015) Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Redefining an Illness. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
31.
JanssensKAZijlemaWLJoustraML, et al. (2015) Mood and anxiety disorders in chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome: Results from the lifelines cohort study. Psychosomatic Medicine77: 449–457.
32.
KernsRDTurkDCRudyTE (1985) The West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory (WHYMPI). Pain23: 345–356.
33.
LeonardMTCanoAJohansenAB (2006) Chronic pain in a couples context: A review and integration of theoretical models and empirical evidence. Journal of Pain7: 377–390.
34.
LeonardMTIssnerJHCanoA, et al. (2013) Correlates for spousal empathic accuracy for pain-related thoughts and feelings. Clinical Journal of Pain29: 324–333.
35.
McManimenSLDevendorfARBrownAA, et al. (2016) Mortality in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome. Fatigue4(4): 195–207.
36.
McPhersonSBarbosa-LeikerCMameyMR, et al. (2015) A “missing not at random” (MNAR) and “missing at random” (MAR) growth model comparison with a buprenorphine/naloxone clinical trial. Addiction110(1): 51–58.
37.
MaslandSRHooleyJM (2015) Perceived criticism: A research update for clinical practitioners. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice22: 211–222.
38.
MeeusMIckmansKStruyfF, et al. (2016) What is in a name? Comparing diagnostic criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome with or without fibromyalgia. Clinical Rheumatology35: 191–203.
Newton-JohnTRO (2002) Solicitousness and chronic pain: A critical review. Reviews in Pain9: 7–27.
41.
PöyhiäRDa CostaDFitzcharlesM (2001) Pain and pain relief in fibromyalgia patients followed for three years. Arthritis Care and Research45(4): 355–361.
42.
PriceJRMitchellETidyE, et al. (2008) Cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews16: CD001027.
43.
RafteryAE (1996) Approximate Bayes factors and accounting for model uncertainty in generalized linear models. Biometrika83: 251–266.
44.
ReyesMGaryHEDobbinsJG, et al. (1997) Surveillance for chronic fatigue syndrome—Four U.S. cities, September 1989 through August 1993. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: CDC Surveillance Summaries46(2): 1–13.
45.
RoblesTFSlatcherRBTrombelloJM, et al. (2014) Marital quality and health: A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin140: 140–187.
46.
RomanoJMJensenMPSchmalingKB, et al. (2009) Illness behaviors in patients with unexplained chronic fatigue are associated with significant other responses. Journal of Behavioral Medicine32: 558–569.
47.
RomanoJMMoltonIPAlschulerKN, et al. (2016) Reported pain and fatigue behaviors mediate the relationship between catastrophizing and perceptions of solicitousness in patients with chronic fatigue. Journal of Pain17: 328–335.
48.
SchmalingKBBettertonKL (2016) Neurocognitive complaints and functional status among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Quality of Life Research25(5): 1257–1263.
49.
SchmalingKBFiedelakJIKatonWJ, et al. (2003) Prospective study of the prognosis of unexplained chronic fatigue in a clinic-based cohort. Psychosomatic Medicine65: 1047–1054.
50.
SchmalingKBSmithWRBuchwaldDS (2000) Significant other responses are associated with fatigue and functional status among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Psychosomatic Medicine62: 444–450.
51.
SturgeonJAZautraAJ (2016) Social pain and physical pain: Shared paths to resilience. Pain Management6(1): 63–74.
52.
SullivanMJMartelMOTrippD, et al. (2006) The relation between catastrophizing and the communication of pain experience. Pain122: 282–288.
53.
TurkDCKernsRDRosenbergR (1992) Effects of marital interaction on chronic pain and disability: Examining the down side of social support. Rehabilitation Psychology37(4): 259–274.
54.
VaughnCLeffJ (1976) The influence of family and social factors on the course of psychiatric illness: A comparison of schizophrenic and depressed neurotic patients. British Journal of Psychiatry129: 125–137.
55.
VerraMLAngstFBrioschiR, et al. (2009) Does classification of persons with fibromyalgia into Multidimensional Pain Inventory subgroups detect differences in outcome after a standard chronic pain management program?Pain Research and Management14(6): 445–453.
56.
VerspaandonkJCoendersMBleijenbergG, et al. (2015) The role of the partner and relationship satisfaction on treatment outcome in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Psychological Medicine45(11): 2345–2352.
57.
WalittBNahinRLKatzRS, et al. (2015) The prevalence and characteristics of fibromyalgia in the 2012 National Health Interview Survey. PLoS ONE10: e0138024.
58.
WareJE (1993) SF-36 Health Survey: Manual and Interpretation Guide. Boston, MA: The Health Institute, New England Medical Center.
59.
WarrenJWLangenbergPClauwDJ (2013) The number of existing functional somatic syndromes (FSSs) is an important risk factor for new, different FSSs. Journal of Psychosomatic Research74: 12–17.
60.
WolfeF (1997) The relation between tender points and fibromyalgia symptom variables: Evidence that fibromyalgia is not a discrete disorder in the clinic. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases56(4): 268–271.
61.
WolfeFClauwDJFitzcharlesM, et al. (2010) The American College of Rheumatology preliminary diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia and measurement of symptom severity. Arthritis Care and Research62(5): 600–610.
62.
WolfeFSmytheHAYunusMB, et al. (1990) The American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of fibromyalgia: Report of the Multicenter Criteria Committee. Arthritis and Rheumatism33: 160–172.
63.
YunusMB (2012) The prevalence of fibromyalgia in other chronic pain conditions. Pain Research and Treatment2012: 1–8.
