Attentional bias towards health-threat information in chronic fatigue syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) show an attentional bias towards health-threat information.


METHODS
Attentional bias (AB) was assessed in individuals with CFS and healthy controls using a visual probe task which presented health-threat and neutral words and pictures for 500 ms. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess CFS symptoms, depression, anxiety, and social desirability.


RESULTS
Compared to a healthy control group, the CFS group showed an enhanced AB towards heath-threat stimuli relative to neutral stimuli. The AB was not influenced by the type of stimulus (pictures vs. words).


CONCLUSIONS
The finding of an AB towards health-threat information in individuals with CFS is supportive of models of CFS which underlie cognitive behavior therapy.
Hou
Ruihua
R
School of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.
Moss-Morris
Rona
R
Bradley
Brendan P
BP
Peveler
Robert
R
Mogg
Karin
K
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods; D035061:Control Groups; D004644:Emotions; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D014796:Visual Perception