The Family Response Questionnaire: a new scale to assess the responses of family members to people with chronic fatigue syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
Family responses to patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) may influence the course of the disorder and family members themselves are likely to be adversely affected. However, the beliefs and responses of relatives of CFS patients have been under-researched. The aim of this study was to produce an easy-to-administer questionnaire to assess the responses of family members to people with CFS.


METHODS
Seventy-eight people, all close relatives of (physician-diagnosed) CFS sufferers, completed the first version of the Family Response Questionnaire (FRQ).


RESULTS
Examination of the correlation matrix and a cluster analysis of the items support four scales rather than the original five. The four response scales were labelled: sympathetic-empathic, active engagement, rejecting-hostile, and concern with self. Measures of test-retest and internal reliability were high. Participants found the items both comprehensible and relevant to their experiences of living with people with CFS.


CONCLUSIONS
The new version of the FRQ will be useful in further examination of the responses of CFS on individuals and their families.
Cordingley
L
L
School of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, University of Manchester, Room 704, Stopford Building, Oxford Road, M13 9PT, Manchester, UK. lis.cordingley@man.ac.uk
Wearden
A
A
Appleby
L
L
Fisher
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005190:Family; D005192:Family Health; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires