CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME - A COGNITIVE APPROACH

Observations concerning the characteristics of patients who presented to a medical clinic with a principal complaint of chronic medically un explained fatigue (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or CFS) are described, inc luding the cognitions (thoughts and assumptions) elicited from a sampl e of these patients who were treated using cognitive behavioural thera py. On the basis of these observations a cognitive theory of the aetio logy of CFS is proposed. These observations have implications for the treatment of patients with CFS.