{"id":31885,"date":"2021-07-18T21:29:41","date_gmt":"2021-07-18T20:29:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/?p=31885"},"modified":"2021-07-18T21:29:41","modified_gmt":"2021-07-18T20:29:41","slug":"research-causal-attributions-perceived-stigma-for-me-cfs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/research-causal-attributions-perceived-stigma-for-me-cfs\/","title":{"rendered":"Research: Causal attributions & perceived stigma for ME\/CFS"},"content":{"rendered":"

Causal attributions and perceived stigma for myalgic encephalomyelitis\/ chronic fatigue syndrome<\/a>, by Laura Froehlich, Daniel BR Hattesohl, Joseph Cotler, \u00a0Leonard A Jason , Carmen Scheibenbogen, Uta Behrends in<\/span> Journal of Health Psychology<\/em>, July 9 2021 [doi.org\/10.1177\/13591053211027631]<\/h3>\n

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Research abstract:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis\/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME\/CFS) is a chronic disease with the hallmark symptom of post-exertional malaise. Evidence for physiological causes is converging, however, currently no diagnostic test or biomarker is available.<\/p>\n

\"\"People with ME\/CFS experience stigmatization<\/a>, including the perception that the disease is psychosomatic. In a sample of 499 participants with self-diagnosed ME\/CFS, we investigated perceived stigma as a pathway through which perceived others\u2019 causal attributions relate to lower satisfaction with social roles and activities and functional status.<\/p>\n

Higher perceived attributions by others to controllable and unstable causes predicted lower health-related and social outcomes via higher perceived stigma.<\/p>\n

The role of perceived stigma for ME\/CFS<\/strong><\/h3>\n

… health-related quality of life outcomes were worse for people with ME\/CFS who thought that others in their social environment viewed them as responsible for their condition and viewed the condition as likely to change. In turn, when people with ME\/CFS perceived this pattern of others\u2019 attributions, they also felt more stigmatized by these other people. Results were consistent except for non-significant direct and indirect effects for vitality. This might be explained by the fact that vitality items measure energy and exhaustion, which are closely tied to ME\/CFS symptoms.<\/p>\n

The perception that others view the illness as controllable and changeable indirectly predicted lower health-related quality of life for people with ME\/CFS.<\/p>\n

This result highlights that perceived stigma is a relevant process in ME\/CFS: In line with basic stigma definitions… ME\/CFS is perceived as:<\/p>\n