Common and specific factors in the psychotherapeutic treatment of patients suffering from chronic fatigue and pain

Chronic fatigue conditions are very complex and heterogeneous disorders, both from an etiological and treatment perspective. Hence, it is not surprising that current evidencebased treatments have shown relatively limited treatment effects. In this article, we argue that extant treatment research has largely overlooked growing insights regarding the central role of attachment and stress regulation in these conditions and is largely based on the incorrect assumption that specific techniques are those mainly responsible for treatment outcome. In response, we propose an integrative, tailor-made, and staged treatment approach rooted in attachment and mentalization theory. This approach emphasizes the central importance of improvements in stress regulation as a result of an increased metacognitive ability to reflect on the self and others, which may lead to changes in lifestyle and increased resilience in the face of adversity. These changes may reflect a possible common mechanism of change across different treatments of these disorders. These issues are illustrated by a clinical vignette. © 2012 American Psychological Association.

Jaar van publicatie:2013

Toegankelijkheid:Closed