Thesis abstract:

The first part of this thesis is a systematic review and narrative synthesis of healthcare professionals’ experiences of working with people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).

A total of 15 qualitative studies met the inclusion criteria. There was significant overlap of themes across the 15 studies. Themes were organised into four categories: Contesting the Legitimacy of CFS/ME, Emotional Burden, Stereotyping the CFS/ME Patient, and Tension in Clinician-Patient Communication and Relationships.

The review identified a need for further research to better understand differences in
understandings of CFS/ME, including the understandings and experiences of specialist CFS/ME healthcare professionals.

The second part of this thesis is an empirical paper describing a study that used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore the lived experiences of healthcare professionals working in specialist CFS/ME services. Interviews were conducted with eight clinicians from a range of healthcare professions.

Four superordinate themes were identified: Safe Haven, Challenges of Understanding, Person-Centredness, and Recovery Road. Some of these findings support issues identified by previous research, but novel themes were also discovered. Clinical
implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.

A qualitative study investigating the experiences of healthcare professionals working in chronic fatigue services, by Elizabeth May. University of Southampton, School of Psychology, Doctoral Thesis May 2016 [published online 30 Jan 2017]

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