title: Effectiveness of a group-based self-management program for people with chronic fatigue syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of a group-based self-management program for people with chronic fatigue syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four mid-sized towns in southern Norway and two suburbs of Oslo.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 137 adults with chronic fatigue syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-management program including eight biweekly meetings of 2.5 hours duration. The control group received usual care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary outcome measure: Medical Outcomes Study-Short Form-36 physical functioning subscale.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fatigue severity scale, self-efficacy scale, physical and mental component summary of the Short Form-36, and the illness cognition questionnaire (acceptance subscale). Assessments were performed at baseline, and at six-month and one-year follow-ups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the six-month follow-up, a significant difference between the two groups was found concerning fatigue severity ( p = 0.039) in favor of the control group, and concerning self-efficacy in favor of the intervention group ( p = 0.039). These significant differences were not sustained at the one-year follow-up. No significant differences were found between the groups concerning physical functioning, acceptance, and health status at any of the measure points. The drop-out rate was 13.9% and the median number of sessions attended was seven (out of eight).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The evaluated self-management program did not have any sustained effect, as compared with receiving usual care.
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.|2 Department of Occupational Therapy, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Oslo, Norway.|3 Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pinxsterhuis
authors.affiliation: 4 Center for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Leiv
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sandvik
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Elin Bolle
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Strand
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bautz-Holter
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Occupational Therapy, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Oslo, Norway.|3 Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Oslo, Norway.|5 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Unni
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sveen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D012648:Self Care; D020377:Self Efficacy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Chronic fatigue syndrome; coping; patient education; randomized controlled trial; self-efficacy